Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

Synopsis: Kate is the only child of mutant parents. Carl Henderson works for a mysterious security corporation and this finally catches up to his family when Kate is kidnapped. Kate dealing with the sudden onset of her mutation and kidnappers is soon running for her life. This is a Fanfic story set in the Whateley Universe.

Note: The violence in this story is a little graphic. If it were a movie it would be rated R.

***

Chapter One

***

Kate couldn’t help laughing at the end of the set. “Oh, God, we suck!”

“Hey, it’s not like I can control it, my voice just does that!” Peter said, looking over at the tall thin brunette.

Reggie, the drummer, broke in, “Chill, bro. It happens.” Kate turned away to hid her smile. Reggie was black and thought he needed to talk more ‘street,’ even though both of his parents were doctors. Then not wanting to hurt Pet’s feelings any further Kate pretended to untangle a cord running from her guitar to the amp.

“If you think singing’s so easy you try it.” Peter challenged, going from hurt puppy to full blown attack dog in a second. ‘God, I thought girls were hormonal,’ Kate thought, before turning back to face Pet.

“You know I don’t sing.”

“Yeah, but why?” Doug, the base player, piped in. “I mean, you play better than the rest of us, but you never sing.”

Kate just shrugged her black leather clad shoulders. “It’s not like we’re opening for Maroon 5, I mean all we ever do is play in your parents’ garage.” she said, looking at Reggie. At that comment Peter dropped the mic he’d been holding and raced past Kate and out the back door of the garage to the pool behind the house.

“Now look what you’ve done.” Reggie said, glaring at Kate. “You know how sensitive he is.” With that Reggie stood up. At six feet he was four inches taller than Kate and even though he hadn’t grown into his frame, he was a little intimidating. “I’d better go talk to him.”

At this Kate felt bad, she hadn’t meant to hurt Peter’s feelings. “No, you guys stay here. I’ll go talk to him.” she said, with a sigh. She carefully placed her guitar on its’ stand and then followed Peter. The warm summer air felt hotter now that she was directly in the sun and Kate winced. With her pale skin she was no fan of UV rays. Then she spotted Pet over by the slide at the deep end of the pool.

He was sitting on the concrete deck in the shade cast by a tree next to the pool. His knees were drawn up to his chest and he’d wrapped his arms around his legs. Pet’s long blonde hair would have hidden his face if he hadn’t already buried it into his thighs. From this angle Kate could have sworn that she was looking at a preteen girl silently rocking herself and crying.

Kate made her way slowly toward Pet and then knelt down beside him. For a moment she wasn’t sure what to do and then instinct kicked in, and she put her arms around him giving him an awkward hug. At first Peter stiffened, but after a second he leaned into Kate.

“What’s bothering you, Hon? It can’t be what I said, you know I was joking, plus, I don’t sing.”

After a second Peter looked up at Kate and wiped the tears back, smearing his dark mascara in the process. “I know, Cat, it’s not what you said, it’s what it means.” Peter replied, using her nickname, which Kate took as a go0od sign.

“What, what means?” Kate asked softly while rubbing Peter’s back.

“You know, my voice . . . changing.”

Suddenly it clicked for Kate and she pulled Peter into a hug. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

“I . . . i . it’s okay.” Peter said, returning the hug.

“Look, have you talked to your parents?”

“My mom, but you know my dad. He’s already upset that I’m too girly. How do I tell him?”

“Well, what did your mom say?”

“After she got over her shock?” Pet asked, with a slight twinkle in his eyes. Kate let out a sigh. Peter’s returning sense of humor meant he was done crying. “She said, that she was going to set me up with some counseling or something.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

Peter nodded.

“Come on we should go back in before the guys start to wonder what we’re doing out here.” Then putting her words to action, Kate stood up and offered Pet a hand. He took it and she noticed that he only came up to her chin. They turned and headed back to the garage when Pet spoke up. “So have you talked to your parents?”

“About what”

“You know . . .”

Abruptly Kate was worried. ‘Does he know, will we have to move, again!’ Kate glanced down at Peter and when she did he made an hour-glass motion with his two hands and then looked at her. All at once Kate’s face felt hot and she knew she was blushing with embarrassment. Blind to Kate’s reaction, Peter stumbled on, “You know you’re sixteen and. . .”

“Peter Simonson, if you finish that sentence I swear I’ll quit the band and never talk to you again.”

Suddenly looking worried Peter grabbed Kate’s hand. “I’m sorry, Cat, I’m just worried about you.” he said, realizing that he’d really hurt Kate’s feelings and pulled her into a hug. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

Kate felt her embarrassment and the anger drain away. ‘He doesn’t know.’ she thought. At first she’d been concerned that Pet had figured out her family’s secret and hadn’t been ready for his real question.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I got my period almost a year ago.”

Just then the door to the garage pushed open and Reggie stuck his head out. “So are we going to play some more, or are you two going to just stay back here making out?” Reggie’s wide grin was infectious, diffusing his words and causing Kate to laugh as Peter pulled her into the garage.

“Come on, Cat, let’s jam!”

***

It was almost 7 pm when Kate’s mother honked. “Hey, guys this was great, but I gotta go.” Katie grabbed her book-bag and guitar and raced out to meet her mom. As she did she saw Mrs. Adams, Reggie’s mom, was already in the driveway talking to her mom.

“Oh, it’s no worry. I mean I’d rather have them over here playing songs than out getting into trouble.”

“Hi, mom, hi, Mrs. Adams,” Kate said, rushing around the minivan.

“Well, as long as you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, they’re good kids.”

Mrs. Adams smile, like that of her son, had a way of lightening up her dark features and caused everyone around her to want to smile. After they’d pulled out of the driveway Maria looked at her daughter, “So, are you hungry?”

“Starved.”

“That’s good cause Dad’s home, and he’s been grilling.”

Kate felt her heart skip a beat, “Not fair! When did he get home? And why didn’t you call me? I would have come home sooner.”

“Slow down, girl. He got home an hour ago and he wanted to surprise you by making your favorite.”

“Ribeyes?”

“Yep, and grilled sweet corn, baked potatoes, and garlic bread.”

“Why are you driving so slowly?” Kate asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

Laughing Mrs. Henderson sped up slightly, “We don’t want to go too fast and get pulled over.”

“Like that would matter.” Kate said a little sullenly and turned to look out the window.

“Kate?”

Kate glanced at her mom, “I mean the last time you got pulled over . . . the officer took one look at you and asked if you wanted to go out to dinner.”

“Kate!”

“I bet you could drive a hundred miles per hour in a twenty five zone, and if you got stopped, you could get the cop to give you his badge and side arm if you offered a kiss.”

“Kathrine Maria Henderson, you are not too old to have your mouth washed out.”

Kate folded her arms over her non-existent breasts and looked sullenly out the window.

“What’s wrong?”

Kate glanced over at her mother and tried to swallow her bitterness. The woman sitting next to her, Maria Henderson, was in her early forties but looked she was twenty five. On top of that she was stunningly beautiful. Her skin was a creamy pale that contrasted perfectly with her silky midnight hair, hair that super models would die for, and she did nothing to maintain her beauty. It was part of her mutation as a level 3 Exemplar with a Body Image Template (BIT) that made her look twenty five.

“When am I . . . you know?” Kate said using her hands to make a gesture similar to the one Pet had made earlier.

“Oh, honey, don’t rush it. You’ll get a figure before you know it.”

Kate felt tears well up, but refused to cry, “Mom, I’m sixteen and I’m as flat as a BOY!”

Maria stopped at a red light and used the opportunity to pull her daughter in for a quick hug. “Honey, these things just happen in their own time. Trust me.”

It was almost a twenty minute drive out of Austoria to their house, because Kate’s parents insisted on having a place well away from the prying eyes of neighbors. By the time they pulled into the driveway Kate was feeling better. She jumped out of the car and raced into the house.

“Hey, Daddy, we’re home!”

Kate dumped her book bag and guitar by the door and darted through the kitchen and then onto the back deck. The man who turned and swept Kate into his arms was tall, blonde, and huge. Kate felt like a little girl again for a second as her father spun her around in an enthusiastic hug. After a moment he sat Kate down grinning.

“So, princess, how’ve you been?”

Kate punched her dad on the arm in response, “Why didn’t you tell me that you were coming home today?”

Carl Henderson rubbed his arm in mock pain, “I didn’t know myself until yesterday. There was an incident and after that we all had to get out in a hurry.”

“Carl!” Maria said, reproachfully as she slipped an arm around his waist, “You know we don’t talk about ‘work’ at home.”

Carl grinned down at his wife slightly rueful. Looking at the two of them Kate knew that people would assume that Carl was the stronger of the two, when the reality was that her mom was much stronger. That didn’t mean that Carl was weak, far from it. Kate had once seen him shape-shift his body so that it looked like it was made of pure silver and then lift the family minivan out of a ditch they’d slid into when Carl had been giving Kate an under-age driving lesson. Because Kate had been fourteen at the time, and Maria would have killed him, Carl had bribed her to keep quiet with a trip to get ice cream. The memory made Kate grin as she realized that her dad had trouble following rules.

SSzzzz . . . Suddenly the grill flared up, “Shit!” Carl said lurching toward the sizzling steaks. He reached out with his right hand which transformed into living metal from the elbow down as he quickly flipped the steaks while moving them to a cooler part of the grill.

“Come on, help me set the table.” Maria said, grabbing Kate by the elbow, “We’re obviously distracting your father.”

***

Saturday morning couldn’t have been more perfect, Kate thought, as she followed Peter. Like most Saturday mornings Kate had gotten up early and met Peter and Reggie at the Fort Stevens State Park to take advantage of the biking trails. Unfortunately, Doug had had to go visit his grandparents and hadn’t been able to make it. Maria had dropped Kate off just before 8 am waving at the other parents dropping off their children before reminding Kate that they needed to be back at the parking lot by noon.

Reggie, had taken the lead, as always. Kate usually rode right behind Reggie but today she decided to ride behind Peter. After yesterday Kate wanted to make sure she had a chance to talk to him, if he wanted too. After about twenty minutes Peter lifted his hand indicating he wanted to stop and Kate coasted to a halt next to him. This happened to be one of Kate’s favorite places on the trail. It ran along a bluff that looked down on the Columbia River.

“What’s up?”

Pointing out over the water Pet said, “What do you make of that?”

Kate glanced out and after a second saw what had grabbed Peter’s attention. There was what looked like a guy standing on the water, but even though his legs weren’t moving, he wasn’t standing still. Somehow the water not only supported him but seemed to be carrying him forward, very quickly.

“Do you think he’s a mutant?” Peter asked, a note of awe in his voice.

“Yeah, we should probably get going.”

“But this is the first time I’ve ever seen a mutant.”

‘That’s so not true,’ Kate thought, but just shook her head.

Abruptly Kate felt the ground move under her feet and before she could react, it surged up above her knees to her mid-thigh locking her in place.

“Gotcha!” A loud male voice exclaimed.

Kate tried to turn around but with her legs immobilized, while straddling her bike, it was difficult. Still by twisting her head she was able to spot a guy who was standing on a piece of ground that looked like it had risen up to form a platform under him. The guy had dark hair and a hawk like nose, and was dressed in jeans, a brown t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket and bore a strong resemblance to the guy on the water.

“I got the other one.” A new voice said, and Kate heard a shout from Peter. A quick glace in the opposite direction showed that Peter had been pulled off his bike and was floating a couple of feet off the ground while a third guy hovered a few feet away.

“Hey, let us go!” Peter tried to shout but for some reason it sounded to Kate like his voice was muffled. Then she realized that the floating guy was doing something with air to keep him quiet.

“Who are you and what do you want with us?” Kate asked trying not to sound as scared as she was feeling.

“Are you Kathrine Henderson?” The guy hovering next to Peter asked.

Thinking desperately Kate shook her head.

“She’s lying.” A new voice announced. Kate looked back at the river to see the third member of the group who was now standing on a column of water next to the cliff. Then the water sort of surged and deposited him a few feet away.

“I can feel the fear and denial in her from here. She’s the one.”

“Dirty, let me take her.”

“No way, Flurry, I got her first!”

“I can get her to the boat the fastest.” The floating guy replied.

Kate looked back and forth between the three men and realized that they must be brothers because they looked so much alike.

“He’s right.” The new arrival said.

“Fine,” the guy, who Kate assumed was Dirty, replied petulantly.

Suddenly the ground around her legs fell away. Kate wasted no time and dove off her bike into a front shoulder roll just as her mom had taught and came up at a full run. She knew it was probably futile but she had to try. Kate made it about three steps down the trail when a blast of wind caught her up and as it lifted her it hardened around her so that she couldn’t move anything from the neck down.

“Nice move girl,” Flurry said, floating over so that he was only a few feet away. “But don’t try anything like that again.” Abruptly Kate felt something hit the side of her face, shocking her more than hurting her, and then she tasted the blood from a split lip. Before she knew it she was floating next to Peter trailing Flurry as he moved out over the water.

“What are you doing?” The comment came from the third brother and held the snap of command.

Flurry turned to look at his brother. “What?” The question came out almost like a whine.

“Pray tell, brother, what are you doing with him?” The oldest looking brother, the one who’d arrived on a column of water, said pointing at Peter.

“I thought he might make a good hostage. You know, like, if it’s good to have one then it’s twice as good to have two.”

Kate could hear Dirty snort. “Idiot,” he added quietly.

“Flurry, we need her, because we need her dad. The boy means nothing. Kill him.”

Kate tried to talk but when she opened her mouth it was instantly filled with air, air that stopped her from being able to speak.

Flurry shrugged, “If you say so, Ripple.” With that he extended his hand toward Peter and made a twisting motion. Even though Peter was ten feet away Kate heard the distinct snapping sound as his neck was broken. Then Flurry just dropped him. Kate had enough control of her head to watch as his body fell into the river just below the bluff. Then everything went dark.

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

Synopsis: Kate is the only child of mutant parents. Carl Henderson works for a mysterious security corporation and this finally catches up to his family when Kate is kidnapped. Kate dealing with the sudden onset of her mutation and kidnappers is soon running for her life. This is a Fanfic story set in the Whateley Universe.

Note: This is part two of nine chapters. I plan to post a chapter a day until complete.

***

Chapter Two

***

Drip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drip

Slowly, Kate became aware of the sound. At first she couldn’t identify it. Water? ‘Why can I hear water,’ she wondered. Yes, she was sure of it. It was the sound of water dripping onto a hard surface. Next came the realization that she was cold. Not cold like she was about to die from hypothermia but just enough to make her shiver. Reluctantly, Kate opened her eyes.

At first things were kind of blurry and Kate wondered if there was something wrong with her eyes. Then she saw a dim light coming through a window set high into the far wall. This faint light was the source of illumination. After a minute Kate figured out that the window had a leak and that it must be raining outside. There was already a small puddle at the base of the wall. This discovery was enough incentive for Kate to push herself up and look around.

“Ugh,” the soft moan escaped her lips as Kate realized just how stiff and sore she was from sleeping on the cold hard floor. “My neck,” she said reaching up the rub the back of her neck. Looking around Kate saw that she was lying on the floor of a room devoid of any furniture. The cold concrete had been sapping all the warmth from her body. Kate looked back up at the window and became aware of the bars. The fact that the window had bars sent a shock through Kate and this caused her to remember the events on the bike trail.

“Peter” . . . . Kate whispered horrified. “He’s dead.”

The horror of what had happened left Kate shaking, ‘Why did they have to kill him?’ she thought. The memory of Peter’s death was enough to bring her back to full awareness and the acrid smell of vomit assaulted her nose. Kate glanced down and saw that she was still wearing the biking gear from before, but the front of her shirt was speckled with dry vomit. She vaguely remembering screaming when they’d killed Peter. The guy, Flurry, had ignored her. The flight to the boat had taken only a few minutes and Flurry had dropped her on the deck. As soon as he did he let go of her and that’s when Kate had gotten sick. It could have only been a minute or two but then the oldest brother, Ripple, was there. He had reached down and touched her head and Kate had gotten really sleepy, and then nothing.

Very slowly Kate pushed herself into a standing position. Her dad had always trained her to be ready to face whatever challenge confronted her. But being kidnapped by a group of mutants wasn’t something easily prepared for. Kate shook her head to clear it of useless thoughts. Looking around the room Kate saw that she was probably in some kind of homemade basement cell. The one window was high up on the cinder block wall, too high for her to reach. It looked like someone had added the bars and when they did they broke the seal on the window. There was a heavy looking wooden door to Kate’s left and nothing else in the room.

Again Kate looked down at her shirt, wishing she had something that didn’t stink that she could change into. Still a smelly shirt was better than nothing, since it afforded her some protection against the chill. Slowly, Kate walked around the room trying to see if there was anything she might be able to use. When she got to the door she saw that there was a light switch. She flicked it up and a bare light bulb came on flooding the room with a harsh bright light. After a second she turned it off. The dim light from the window was somehow easier to take. Besides if her kidnappers saw the light under the door they’d know she was awake.

“I wonder how long I’ve been gone?” she mused. Her mom would have been back by noon and when she didn’t show up, she would have started looking for her. For that matter, when Reggie noticed they weren’t behind him he would have stopped and waited. Then he would have come looking. He would have found their bikes, and if he looked around he might have spotted Peter’s body. If he did he would have called 911. For a second Kate wondered if that would cause trouble for her family. Her parents and stressed to her that they needed to avoid attention. As mutants they tried to blend in. Her dad had also stressed that with his job, working for the International Executive Security Corporation (IESC), as a special consultant, meant discretion. IESC’s clients didn’t want attention.

Kate shook her head to clear it of thoughts about things that were beyond her control. Then she felt a little better because either way Kate knew that there would be people, very capable people, looking for her. These people would include her parents. When Kate was little she’d thought her dad was a super hero. As she’d gotten older she’d realized that they had too much money for that, super heroing just didn’t pay that well. Her next guess was that he did something for the government. She’d finally asked and that’s when her parents explained about IESC. Kate didn’t know exactly what her dad did as a ‘special consultant’ she just knew that he would disappear for months at a time and that it was dangerous.

Done examining the cell Kate picked a corner, where she could get some light from the window and see the door. Slowly she slid to the ground bringing her knees up tight so she could wrap her arms around them. This position reminded her of how Peter had been sitting yesterday by the pool. Suddenly her eyes started stinging and then she was crying. ‘It can’t be real, Peter can’t be dead,’ she thought, yet she knew he was.

Kate wasn’t sure how long she sat there rocking and crying, long enough for her eyes to dry and for her to feel empty inside. “When my dad finds these guys, he’s going to make them wish they’d never been born.” Kate whispered. At some point she must have dozed off because Kate heard a noise and was suddenly wide awake. Most of the light from the window was gone and the room was almost completely dark. Then without warning the door was thrown open and the overhead light came on.

It was so bright Kate found herself blinking. Standing in the doorway was the outline of a big man. Kate instinctively pushed herself deeper into her corner. The man moved into the room and Kate saw that it was middle brother, Dirty, still wearing the same clothes from earlier. “Get up.” he commanded.

Kate slowly pushed herself to her feet. “Who are you? What do you want with me?” The words tumbled out in little more than a whisper. The big man quickly moved over next to Kate and grabbed her by the arm. Kate winced as his hand encircled her bicep in a crushing grip.

“Keep your mouth shut and do what you’re told and you might live.” he stated in a calm voice. “Give us any trouble and we’ll kill you.”

Kate shivered in fear, she knew this wasn’t an idle threat, she’d seen them kill Peter without hesitation. Before she knew it she was being dragged forward by her arm through the door and up a set of stairs. The room she was dragged into was a large kitchen. Disturbingly, there was a camera set up to one side pointed at an island counter top in the middle of the room.

Kate was dragged over to the island and saw that the oldest brother, Ripple, was talking into the camera.

“As you can see, your daughter is alive. Staying that way depends on you. You’ll be contacted and give instructions. Follow them to the letter or things will only get worse for your child.” With that he turned to Dirty, “Put her hand there.”

Kate noticed, for the first time, there was a chopping block on the island and a large meat cleaver next to it. Dirty let go of her arm and grabbed her wrist pulling it toward the cutting block. Kate, realizing what they planned to do and acted without thinking, just as her dad had taught her. She suddenly twisted her wrist pulling against Dirty’s thumb. She broke his grip, and as he turned toward her with a look of surprise she hit him in the nose with the palm of her hand. He stumbled back eyes watering, stunned, and Kate felt Ripple move to grab her from behind so she dove over the island scooping up the meat cleaver as she went.

There was an open hallway right in front of her and she darted toward it only to feel the air around her harden. Reacting on instinct Kate threw the meat cleaver toward where she’d seen Flurry standing by the camera. There was a cry of pain and suddenly Kate was free. She made it two steps before she was hit from behind. The force of the tackle drove her to the ground and knocked the wind out of her. The guy grabbed her by the back of the head in one quick move he yanked her head painfully up and then smashed it down, face first, into the wood floor. Pain exploded from her nose.

“Bitch, that’s for my nose.” Dirty snarled. Again Kate felt her head pulled back but before Dirty could smash it down again a voice snapped, “Enough. We still need her alive, for now.”

Dazed Kate felt Dirty jerk her to her feet by her arm but another voice snarled. “I’ve got it this time.”

Again the air hardened around Kate, squeezing her painfully, as it lifted her helplessly into the air. For a second she saw Flurry, who was holding his forearm. There was a cut on it where he must have tried to block the meat cleaver. Kate felt a sense of satisfaction, even as blood ran down her face from her broken nose and split lip. ‘At least I hurt them,’ she thought. Then Kate was floating next to the island. She tried to fight it but her hand was pulled forward and her fingers spread apart. Instead of feeling afraid Kate was angry, angry at them for killing Peter, angry at being helpless, and determined to survive and make these assholes pay!

Now Ripple moved in front of her. “Look at your daughter, Menace, we are only getting started. If you love her, do as you’re instructed.”

Ripple took Kate’s pinky finger and slid a zip-tie around it and pulled it painfully tight. Then hardened air forced her hand down onto the cutting board.

“Let me,” Dirty snarled. Ripple looked at his brother and just shook his head. “No.”

He picked up the cleaver and in one quick move brought it down on Kate’s finger. She’d braced herself and tried not to scream. She failed. The pain was white hot and it seared all the way up her arm. But then Kate took the pain and made it into a roar of angry defiance. In response from somewhere in the back of her mind she heard an answering roar. Then a second roar, the roaring grew louder and louder in Kate’s mind. Kate realized that someone or something was out there and she reached toward that being and felt it respond. As it did Kate felt more than heard her own voice change, it grew deeper, wilder, and far more powerful. She saw a confused look on Dirty’s face and she flexed pushing against the bonds of air that held her.

“Quick, Ripple, put her to sleep. I can’t hold her much longer.” Flurry’s voice barely penetrated Kate’s enraged mind. The pain from her hand was gone, and all she could think of was the need to destroy those responsible. Then she felt a cool wave of power flood through her, “Sleep.” She tried to resist but Ripples’ voice was memorizing and Kate slowly felt the darkness rise up and swallow her.

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

***

Chapter Three

***

Kate looked down at the tree tops as they moved, in a blur, beneath her. She felt the wind filling her wings and stroked down powerfully before catching a thermal. The hotter air lifted her and she scanned the ground below. Between the trees snaked the blue of a stream. The stream was shallow and the water frothed white over a series of rocks. There! Among the rocks the great short faced bear moved snatching a huge fish from the water.

Kate felt a hot surge of hunger and folded her wings diving silently for the bear. Just as her shadow fell over the beast it paused to look up and Kate snapped her wings out slowing her descent at the last second while striking with her forelegs. The bear never stood a chance. Her full weight and strength broke its’ back as foot long talons sank into its hide. Then Kate snapped her wings and was once again flying easily holding the two thousand pound bear with her claws.

She turned toward the mountain that she somehow knew was her home, and accelerated. In a few minutes she’d covered the distance and a large ledge came into view. Kate knew it was a fine place to eat. It was big enough for two or three of her kind and it got plenty of sun in the afternoon. Nothing would bother her and she’d have a great view of the river valley. Settling on the ledge Kate tore into the bear relishing the taste of the hot fresh meat. Just as she was finishing she felt a presence and then a shadow darkened the ledge.

*How was your hunt, young one?*

Kate looked up and saw the mighty silver beast descend to land next to her

*Fine, I like bear.*

She felt a surge of affection from her companion.

*For your first hunt, you did well. Bear is a good snack. But there are other, better, more satisfying hunts. You have much to learn. Now, come, fly with me.*

Kate didn’t want to move, her belly was full and the sun felt warm on her scaly hide despite the cold mountain air. She sent those feelings to her companion and added.

*The sun is nice, and I just ate.*

The great silver dragon turned faster than Kate thought possible his jaws closed just behind her head forcing her neck down. Kate tried to struggle but she wasn’t strong enough and was easily pinned. Even as she struggled Kate saw that the dragon wasn’t entirely silver. The underside of his wings and belly were the blue of a Chromatic Dragon. Then with a snap of his neck and shoulders he threw Kate from the ledge. She was upside down and falling toward the trees but some instinct caused Kate to roll over and snap her wings out. They instantly filled with air but Kate knew it wasn’t enough and reached into the cold core of power inside and pushed down against the ground. Then she was sweeping forward the momentum and energy of the dive turned into speed as she raced just above the tree tops. After a second she started to climb quickly gaining altitude and threw her head to the sky and roared.

*No, scion of mine will lay around in the sun while there is hunting to do. Now, lad, follow me if you can!*

With that the older dragon accelerated away. Kate beat her wings furiously in an effort to keep up, while feeling puzzled at being called ‘lad’ but then he shook off the confusion and focused on the hunt.

***

Kate woke up and noticed the sun light was shining on her face. Every part of her body ached and her throat was desperately dry. She tried to blink but there was so much gum on her eyes that she couldn’t get them open. A muscle spasm across her back caused her to moan in pain. She tried to sit up and failed. Then she heard the sound of voices from the other side of the door.

“Is she dying?” A male voice said.

“No, you idiot, she’s mutating.”

“I don’t remember my skin glowing like that when I changed!” A third male voice replied.

“It didn’t, but every mutation is unique.” The second voice said.

“Should we call Allura? Maybe she’ll know someone who can help her?” The first voice said.

“NO!” The other two voices replied in unison.

“Shouldn’t we . . . you know . . . give her a blanket or something? We need to make sure she survives, right?” The first voice said. Then Kate heard the sound of retreating footsteps.

Groggily she wondered who they were and where she was. She managed to open her eyes enough to look at her hands. She felt a little surprised when she saw that they were glowing with a silvery white radiance. Then she closed her eyes as a shivering fit racked her body. She was SO cold! For several minutes she shivered and then when the fit passed she let out a sigh of relief and dropped into a deep sleep.

***

Kate was once again flying. The silvery light of the half-moon created a contrasting tapestry of shadows below. The shadows didn’t bother Kate, with a bit of concentration she could zoom in and see everything in a given shadow. A part of him wanted to examine each shadow to test his eyesight against the gloomy depths. To learn the secrets each shadow held. He resisted the impulse.

His ancestor had sent him here for a reason. This was a hunt. But it wasn’t a random hunt. He was here for a specific quarry, a dangerous one, the fact that the prey might turn on him added excitement to the hunt. The excitement was an element that had been missing from earlier hunts.

Then he spotted movement. There in one of the shadows. The beast that immerged had a scaly hide and was bigger than the short faced bear he’d eaten. As Kate circled, high above, he noticed that the beast had another smaller creature on its back. This was curious to Kate, the larger beast should have been able to throw the smaller fleshy thing from its back and devour it. Yet it appeared to be subservient to it. Then Kate noticed a second and a third set of paired creatures. If one such creature was tasty then three would be better. The trick would be to catch all three before they scattered and ran.

Kate flew away from them and started a shallow arcing descent to position herself just above the low hill they’d come out of. At the same time Kate made sure to increase his speed. The hot, humid, thick air slowed him and Kate reached inside, felt the cold knot of power, and added it to the flight increasing his speed. Then he flashed out over the hill coming at the creatures from behind. Kate opened his mouth but some instinct caused him to exhale instead of roaring as he’d originally intended.

A cone of white blasted out hitting the creatures from behind. As Kate flew over them he felt the cold radiate up and knew that not just the creatures but the ground around them had turned white, flash frozen, in an instant. Kate soared up converting his speed into a climb. When he started to slow down Kate folded a wing and tipped over to one side, this allowed Kate to smoothly turn his climb into a dive back toward his prey. Kate let gravity do its thing, increasing his speed, until the ground was rushing up and then he snapped his wings open slowing and controlling his descent.

With a feeling of surprise he noticed that one of the parasites had jumped off the back of the creature it rode. It was holding some kind of long pointy stick and one end of it glowed. Then from the glowing end a focused stream of white hot fire slashed up toward Kate. Without thinking Kate tucked a wing and slid to one side of the fire. The move saved him from being hit but had taken him off his intended flight path. Kate had wanted to land in the middle of his frozen dinner and see what these creatures tasted like.

Angry at the disruption to his meal Kate circled to one side and then came in again. The tiny two leg had resisted the burning cold Kate felt inside, yet he knew he had other options. This time when he flashed over the creature he was ready. A stream of glowing missiles snapped up at Kate. Kate felt the energy that formed the missiles and met it with his own energy. The two forces collided and the missiles exploded several yards in front of Kate. Then Kate opened his mouth knowing he had to do something different. This time the crack of lightning startled Kate as much as it did the creature below him. Then lightning blasted into the two leg parasite frying the small beast, somehow its stick fell away undamaged.

Instead of circling, for another pass, Kate pounced his talons tore the creature in half and he couldn’t help roaring in satisfaction at conquering these beasts. Kate moved over to one of the lager creatures and tore into it. He discovered that the frozen meat was just as tasty as the hot flesh of the bear. Then he felt a presence and spun around ready to defend his kill.

Kate spotted his ancestor, sitting on the hill, looking down at him. There was a sense of amused satisfaction radiating from the elder dragon.

*A fine hunt.*

Kate didn’t feel the need to respond to the comment and focused on eating. After a few minutes the staff caught his eye. Kate froze, mesmerized. On one end of the stick was a large stone. A pretty stone. It was still glowing but the glow was fading.

*What is that?*

*A prize.*

Kate didn’t understand how he felt as he reached out to touch the stone. After a minute Kate turned away to go back to his meal.

*It has been a very long time young one.*

Kate looked up at the great silver and blue dragon and sent the feeling of puzzlement toward him.

*A long time since another of the Eldest Race was awake and even longer since I had a descendant to train.*

*Is that what I am?* Kate asked and for the first time looking down. Kate noticed that his scales were silver but his wing tips were streaked with blue and his belly was as blue as his ancestor’s. This puzzled Kate, and yet Kate didn’t know why he was puzzled.

*I am Dux’Tueor, the one who Watches and Guides.*

The name felt right to Kate and he nodded his head.

*You have earned a NAME.*

This statement also seemed right to Kate so he sent a feeling of agreement toward Dux’Tueor.

*I name you Dux’Primus, because you are the first of our kind to awaken.*

As his sire said this Kate felt his body thrum in response, as though he were a string on a guitar that had just been plucked. His whole body vibrated and the world around him faded.

***

This time when Kate woke up the first thing she noticed was the absence of pain. In fact as she lay still she realized she felt good. Then she noticed that she was on something soft and was wrapped in something warm. A blanket? Slowly Kate opened her eyes. After a second she forced herself to sit up and noticed that a dim silvery light was coming in through the widow, but even though the light was poor she had no trouble seeing.

Kate looked down and saw that she was laying on a mattress that had been dragged into the room and left on the floor. In addition to the mattress she’d been given a blanket. For some reason these items made her feel better. She looked around the room and saw that she was in some kind of basement. Cinder block walls and bare concrete floors were the only features besides the window and her mattress. Then she realized that this was the room where she was being held. At this memories came flooding back, finally chasing away the strange dreams she’d been having and the mental fog. Memories of Peter dying, of the video message to her dad, and her finger.

At this thought Kate glanced down at her hand. When she did she saw that she had five fingers. In surprise she glanced at her other hand to make sure she wasn’t confused. No, there were five fingers on it as well. Then she looked at her hand more closely. The hand was wrong. It wasn’t her hand! It was bigger than it should have been and the fingers were much thicker and stronger looking.

She tossed the blanket to one side and stood up. As she did she almost tripped and fell. There was something wrong with her balance. She stumbled to one side and felt pain in her feet. In fact her clothing felt wrong, constricting all over. She reached out to the wall to steady herself and her shirt split along the chest and shoulders. Ignoring the tear Kate reached for her feet. Her shoes had split apart and her toes were poking out. This didn’t stop her from pulling off the painful things and tossing them to one side. As she did this her bicycle shorts tore.

“What the fuck is going on?” Kate said, freezing at the masculine baritone. “My voice,” she gasped, reaching for her throat. Her hand found the prominent bulge of her Adam’s apple and for a moment she couldn’t figure out what it was. “No way,” Kate whispered, stunned. Then she felt a twitch in her groin. Slowly almost afraid of what she’d find Kate reached for her crotch. The sensation of something touching something that shouldn’t be there sent a shiver up Kate’s spine.

“What happened to me?”

Even as she whispered those words Kate knew the answer. “I must have gone through my mutation.” She was the daughter of two mutants and her parents had told her the odds were good she’d be a mutant. Kate knew that her mutation might change her physically. She could be a monster, or she could get a BIT like her mom and be beautiful, or just be normal looking. One thing Kate had never considered was that her BIT or mutation might turn her into a guy!

“I wonder what I look like?” Kate asked the empty room. After taking a few deep breaths to slow her racing heart Kate began to strip. The shredded clothes went into a pile by the bed. While she was stripping she tried to avoid looking too closely at her body. Once naked she steeled herself, knowing, yet not KNOWING, what she’d discover.

Kate held her hands up and looked at them. The skin was pale, but not pale in an undead kinda way. It was more like her skin now had a slight metallic quality. Her nails barely extended past her finger tips, nothing about them would seem strange but Kate somehow knew they would be very hard and sharp. Next she looked at her chest.

“Well, I’m no longer flat chested,” she joked. Her chest was sculpted with muscle and as Kate’s gaze drifted down she realized that she now had a six pack of abs that would put a Spartan Warrior to shame. Avoiding the “Big” change, Kate looked at her legs. There were just as ripped with muscle as her arms and chest and when Kate twisted around she realized she now had the firm butt of an athlete.

The act of twisting caused her new appendage to swing heavily from side to side. This sent a shock through Kate and she couldn’t resist looking between her legs. There it was, nestled against her groin, a tube of meat that shouldn’t be anywhere on her body. At this thought it gave a twitch. Gingerly she poked it. The touch didn’t hurt but she felt it and knew beyond a doubt that THING was a part of her. This time she touched in gently feeling the velvety skin between her fingers. Then she reached down to her scrotum and lifted the heavy set of balls, “The first time I touch a man’s balls and they’re my own.” Kate said, her sarcasm turned into a giggle at the bizarre nature of her mutation.

Abruptly there was a noise from up starts. Someone had turned on a TV. It was playing the news. Kate concentrated and the sound became clearer. There was the voice of a male news anchor talking with his female partner about the missing Austoria teens and then speculating about the body discovered along the Columbia River. The dead teenager had been identified as one of the missing teenagers and they were speculating that it might have been an accident except that apparently the second teen was still missing. They knew this because the county Sheriff’s office and released a statement. In the statement the Sheriff had said that Kathrine Henderson, age sixteen, had been kidnapped and the kidnappers had contacted the family with a set of demands. The Sheriff had gone on to say that if anyone had any information they should contact the Sheriff’s office, but under no circumstances were civilians supposed to confront the kidnappers. The Sheriff had called them a group of mutant terrorists and said that they were extremely dangerous.

Kate shook her head, “How can I hear the TV all the way down here?” Even as she asked the question Kate knew the answer. It must be part of her mutation. Then she realized that even though the room was almost completely dark she had had no trouble seeing.

“My senses must have been improved. I wonder what I look like.” Even as she said it, Kate thought, based on what she could see, she must be a hunk. “I wonder if I’ve got any other abilities.” Glancing around the room Kate didn’t see any way to test her strength. Then inspired she jumped. The ceiling had to be ten feet up and Kate found that she could touch it easily.

Of course a basketball rim was ten feet above the court and there were plenty of guys who could dunk. So she really hadn’t proven much, except that her junk bounced around distractingly without some kind of support. Then she realized that she was now taller than she’d been and she probably could jump higher. As Kate looked around for something to test her body on she spotted the window.

It was a small window high up, almost all the way to the ceiling. If it weren’t for the iron bars that had been added Kate thought she might be able to squeeze through. She took two quick steps and jumped. Catching the bars was simple and Kate found that without straining she could hold herself up by them. Then Kate spread her feet to either side of the window and started pulling on the bars using her back and legs to do most of the work, her torsos was now parallel to the ground. For a moment nothing happened. Kate felt desperate and then her desperation turned to anger.

These people had taken her by force, killed her friend, wounded her, and were attempting to hurt her family. An icy rage filled her and in the back of her mind she heard a roaring sound. Suddenly the bar in her right hand bent and then the concrete holding it in place crumbled and the bar came free. The momentum of breaking the bar loose caused the second one to give and Kate shot away from the wall. She had no time to think before she hit the ground on her back. All the air was knocked from her lungs and for a second her vision blurred as the back of her head bounced off floor.

Kate slowly stood up. Two bars down, two to go. Then she’d be free! Kate paused for a second to listen. She could still hear the sound of the TV. She focused slowly blocking out every other sense to concentrate on listening. After a moment she heard the slow steady beat of a heart, close to the source of TV noise. Then she heard a second heart in a different direction but still in the house and still on the upper floor. For several more minutes Kate focused on listening and when she didn’t hear any other heart beats she figured that there were only two of the three brothers in the house.

Kate returned to the window and having summoned her rage before, she found it easier to call up a second time. The bars came free and this time Kate used the momentum to flip over and land on her feet. She couldn’t help the savage grin the spread across her face. This was starting to become fun.

Then she sobered up, these guys were dangerous, and they wanted to hurt her dad. She needed to get away and warn him. She had no idea where she was or how often these clowns checked on her but she knew time was not her friend. The window was still a problem. Kate figured she could throw an iron bar through it and break it but would that make too much noise? Slowly she picked up one of the bars and then wrapped the remains of her bike shorts around one end.

She glanced up at the wall she knew she could jump up smash the window and fall back down. But she needed to break it carefully, quietly, and then she needed to use the bar to scrape the window clear of glass. If she didn’t she’d take several cuts climbing through.

For a moment Kate thought about her dreams and the strange roaring she’d heard when they’d cut off her finger. Were they connected? In her dream she’d been a dragon. A dragon’s talons would be helpful now. If they were long enough to sink into the wall to hold her there while she broke the window. After a moment Kate held up her hand and thought of Dux’Tueor. He’d had talons several feet long. Suddenly Kate felt a presence in her head it seemed puzzled and Kate thought about talons and how useful they’d be. There was a wave of agreement from somewhere in her mind. Then a sort of icy energy washed through her and Kate saw her nails turn white, like ivory, and start growing. In seconds she had a set of four inch slightly curved talons extending from her fingers and toes.

This time when Kate jumped she landed next to the window. Her talons sank into the soft cinder block walls and Kate felt a surge of satisfaction. She then used an iron bar and as quietly as she could she broke the glass window and knock all of the remaining glass free. Kate had to fight the urge to try to wiggle though the window. But she knew better. Her father had taught her in a survival situation never to leave behind anything you might be able to use. Kate returned to the room and quickly gathered up the iron bars, tying them into a bundle with her former shorts. Next she took her shirt and tied it around her waist in an improvised skirt. Then Kate threw the blanket over the bottom of the window to protect her skin as she crawled out. For a moment Kate wondered if there was any way she could take the mattress, but knew it was impossible. That window was barely big enough for her, much less a twin sized mattress.

Kate leapt back up to the wall tossed her bundle through the window and then tried to climb through. The window was a typical basement window. Before her mutation Kate would have slid through without any trouble. Now it seemed much smaller. As Kate wiggled through she felt a sting on her back and knew that she’d missed some glass, and then she was free.

A quick look around showed an old farm house with trees across a short lawn in front of her. Kate retrieved the blanket and shook it free of any glass and then wrapped it around her shoulders. Then she picked up her bundle of iron bars and dashed for the tree line. The minute she was among the trees Kate had to fight the urge to roar, her joy at being free was fierce and hot in her chest.

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 4

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

***

Chapter Four

***

Even with her night vision, Kate was lost. The trees were thick and she had no idea which way she was going. Her dad had taught her enough to know how to walk a straight line in the forest. She did this by putting her back to a tree and spotting a tree a dozen feet away and then walking to it. Then she picked another and another and another. But she’d forgotten to do a pace count and then it occurred to her that even if she had it would have been pointless, since she didn’t know what her pace count was in this body.

Her elation at escaping had turned into worry, because she had no way to warn her parents. After a little while she dismissed this thought to focus on walking. Sooner or later she was bound to find a road or some type of land mark. As she walked she couldn’t help noticing how her new body was different from her normal body. The sausage between her legs was annoying. It moved from side to side with each step in a steady reminder of her new status. She could also see her breath, in the silvery moonlight, but the air didn’t feel the least bit cold. It then occurred to her that she was walking barefoot through the forest, stepping on stones and twigs and they didn’t bother her. This made Kate wonder if her skin was now tougher, or if she was an Exemplar and this was just a side effect.

At one point Kate paused to watch a mosquito land on her arm. Mosquitos had always loved to bite her but now she was curious. After several seconds of trying to draw blood the Mosquito gave up and flew away. ‘Wow, I’ll never need to buy bug spray again!’ she thought. If it wasn’t for the sex changed she knew she’d be marveling at her new body.

After a time Kate noticed that the moon had set, but it was a little lighter. At this she paused to look around. Yes, it was definitely lighter, the sun was rising. Then off to her right Kate saw a shimmer through the trees. Since this was the first landmark that wasn’t more trees Kate headed toward it. After a few minutes Kate saw that she was walking toward a small lake. It was farther away than she’d estimated and the sun was well above the horizon by the time she reached the edge. For the first time Kate had a clear view for more than a couple of dozen feet and she looked around. To her left she saw a mountain range. “The Cascades,” she wondered, turning to look in the opposite direction. If they were then that way was east. So she should be able to figure out north and south.

Feeling desperately thirsty Kate dropped her blanket, improvised skirt, and bundle on the shore and stepped into the lake. She knew that drinking unpurified water might be a bad idea but she’d been walking for hours and knew she was dehydrated. The feeling of cool lake water moving up her thighs was refreshing until it reached her new organ. The sensation of cool water caused her to gasp and look down. Then Kate couldn’t resist a booming laugh.

“So that’s what they mean by shrinkage!”

Kate looked into the water and noticed that her vision sharpened. It was like she could see into the water. There! She’d spotted a fish. Without thinking her hand darted out, even though the talons she’d used to get out of her cell had retracted, she managed to catch the struggling lake trout. At first she was too surprised by her instinctive move to know what to do and her grip on the struggling fish slipped. The fish dropped back into the water with a splash and Kate let out a chuckle.

“I guess I know what’s on the menu for breakfast.”

Cupping her hands Kate lifted a small mouthful of water to her lips. The liquid was cool and tasted clean. After one experimental swallow Kate took another mouthful and then another. After her third scoop of lake water Kate thought she saw something from the corner of her eye. She glanced around, searching, and spotted it. At an angle across the lake there was a small cabin with an even smaller dock. Civilization!

If they had a phone she might be able to contact her parents. Rather than rush over to the cabin Kate slowly scanned the shoreline. She wanted to know if there were any other signs of civilization. Not spotting any Kate let out a sigh. If this was someone’s fishing cabin then there was a good chance no one would be home and there wouldn’t be a way to contact anyone. Still this was the best chance at finding help she’d had so far. She needed to check it out.

With this goal in mind Kate quickly returned to the place where she’d left her meager belongings. She once again wrapping the blanket around her shoulders like a cloak, tied her shirt around her hips, and picked up her crude tools. Then she started working her way around the lake. It took more than an hour to come up on the cabin and when she did Kate paused to examine what she’d found.

It had been made of rough logs and couldn’t have more than a couple of rooms. To one side of the cabin through the trees Kate saw that someone had planted a garden. It looked like a vegetable garden and from what Kate could see, it was doing quite well. Slowly, Kate circled the cabin trying to get a better idea for who the owner might be and more importantly what they’d be like. At what Kate assumed was the front of the cabin, based on the porch and rocking chair, she saw a small track that must serve, from time to time, as a driveway. It was one of those seldom used tracks with grass and weeds growing up between the ruts made by the vehicle’s wheels.

The cabin didn’t have a garage and there was no sign of a car. Feeling a little discouraged Kate continued around the house and saw that it had an old fashioned well, complete with a bucket and rope. The well was on the same side as the garden so Kate assumed it served the dual purpose of providing the cabin and the garden with clean water. Now Kate saw that the cabin had a back porch that was almost as big as the one on the front.

From here Kate could see the dock and a small wooden canoe that had been turned upside down and left leaning against the dock. As she continued around Kate saw what looked like an empty clothes line and then she caught the scent of a wood smoke. At this she glanced at the roof and saw a faint plume of smoke drifting lazily out of the chimney.

Having circled the cabin Kate moved toward what she was still assuming was the front porch. There hadn’t been any sign of movement within the cabin, but the well-tended garden and the smoke made Kate believe that someone was home. They’d probably feel a lot more comfortable with her if she introduced herself by knocking on the door. As Kate moved toward the porch a sixth sense made her dive forward into a front roll, dropping her bundle and losing the blanket and t-shirt along the way. Kate came to her feet her hands up ready to fight, and stopped.

A robed and hooded figure stood a few feet behind where Kate had been. It held a thin looking staff in one hand and even though the light green robe was bulky Kate somehow sensed that this person was a woman.

“You startled me, Ma’am.”

“I’m amazed that you were able to sense me, young man.” Came the musical reply.

Abruptly, Kate remembered that she was naked, and that guys aren’t supposed to be naked in front of girls. She felt her face flush, but made no move toward her dropped blanket or t-shirt.

“You have the advantage, madam.” Kate said and wondered why she was speaking so strangely.

“I do, but it is only fitting, since this is my home. Tell me your name.”

Kate opened her mouth, but instead of saying Kathrine Henderson, she said, “I am named Dux’Primus.”

There was a hiss from the hooded woman and for a second she didn’t move. Then with her free hand she slowly pushed back her hood. Her midnight hair was pulled back in a tight braid giving Kate a full view of her slightly too big green eyes, pointed ears, and delicate chin. The similarity to an elf from the Lord of the Rings was shocking.

“You’re a mutant?”

“Surprised at seeing another of us, so far from civilization?”

“Uhm, well, honestly, yes.” Kate stumbled.

“Stranger things have happened. My name is . . . well, for now you can call me Molly.” The woman said, and when she did she grinned showing off perfectly white teeth. “Please come inside and have breakfast with me. You can tell me what you’re doing out here and why you’re doing it naked.”

Kate felt her face turn bright red and quickly scooped up her blanket wrapping it around her body. “Tssk . . . a shame, to cover up such a fine body.” The woman said with a lascivious look toward Kate. Then as if knowing Kate would follow she moved toward the cabin. Kate picked up her dropped bundle and turned to follow Molly.

Then Molly looked over her shoulder at Kate, “Are you carrying iron?” The surprise was evident in her voice, but she covered it quickly, “Please leave it outside. It distresses me.”

Sheepishly Kate dropped the bundle next to the porch and followed Molly inside.

***

“Try these on.”

Kate managed to catch a bundle of clothes Molly tossed at her. Kate had followed the mutant into her cabin and had been surprised at how large it turned out to be. The front door had opened to a sitting room with a large stone fireplace. Molly had disappeared around a corner by the time Kate had entered, rubbing her head from where she’d accidently hit the doorframe.

“I wonder why she made the door so small.” Kate muttered. Then she looked around expecting to see Molly and instead found an empty room. The room had a hardwood floor and a rustic feel. There was a rocking chair in one corner with a nice view out the front window and a large built in bookshelf to one side. Kate moved over to the books to see what her hostess was reading when Molly returned.

“Do you have a place where I can change?”

Molly raised one eyebrow, “If you’re feeling shy, you can change on the porch.”

“At least turn around.” Kate replied grumpily feeling her face turn bright red, again.

With a sigh Molly turned her back to Kate. As soon as she turned around Kate dropped the blank and looked at the bundle. There was a pair of men’s sweat paints and large tee-shirt. ‘These are going to be way to big,’ Kate thought. When she pulled on the sweat pants she was shocked that they weren’t quite long enough, although there was some room around the waist. Kate noticed there was a draw string so she pulled it tight and knotted it. When she did she glanced up to find Molly had turned back around.

“Hey!”

Molly shrugged, “I wasn’t sure if they’d be big enough.” Molly’s smirk made Kate doubt her sincerity. “Besides I’ve already seen you naked.”

Kate turned away from the small woman and pulled on the tee-shirt, again surprised at how tight it was. The fabric was stretched nearly to the breaking point across her chest and she felt like if she flexed she’d shredded it.

“So how did you know I’m a mutant?” Kate asked.

Molly looked at Kate curiously, “It wasn’t hard . . . you don’t really look like a normal human. But you know that.”

“Uhm . . . actually I’ve not seen what I look like since my mutation.” Kate admitted reluctantly.

“What! How is that possible?!”

“I . . . uhm . . . changed just a day or two ago . . . and the men who were holding me didn’t offer me a mirror.”

Kate felt a shift in the atmosphere of the room and looked up from where she’d been staring at the floor to see that Molly was looking at her with a strange intensity.

“Holding you?”

“Do you have a mirror?” Kate said, reluctant to talk about what happened. After all what did she know about this woman? She might be working with the brothers, she was an unknown mutant after all.

For a second Kate thought she was going to argue, but then she nodded, “Wait right here.”

Kate had to squish the urge to follow Molly deeper into the house, but she knew it would have been rude and, something told her, potentially dangerous. So to distract herself Kate returned to the bookshelf. The books were an eclectic mix, and half were in a language that Kate couldn’t identify. Those she could read ranged from things like “Herb Lore in the Modern World” to “101 Wards” and “Loki’s Guide to Glamors.”

“Here we go.”

Kate spun around once again startled that she’d been snuck up on. She’d known that Molly would be back and had been listening for her, yet she hadn’t heard her. Kate reigned in the flash of frustration to move toward the spot where Molly had placed a large standing mirror. The mirror was set in an ornate wooden frame and was oval in shape. Molly had placed it at a slight angle so Kate had to walk around to get a view of herself in it. When she did she froze.

The image of the man looking back at her left Kate feeling stunned. Her first impression was that this guy was big, not just tall, but ripped! Even standing still, he oozed masculine vitality. He had pale skin that sort of sparkled in the sunlight. Not like those awful vampire movies, but enough to notice if someone looked closely. The next most striking feature was his hair, short and spiky it was an odd metallic silver color and as Kate looked more closely the tips of his hair and been frosted to a light blue. His face was handsome with a strong chin and his eyes seemed slightly large. They were a brilliant blue that seemed to draw attention and hold it.

Kate slowly reached up to touch this strange new face and watched as the stud in the mirror copied her movement. Fascinated as she was with her new reflection Kate could feel Molly watching her. A part of her mind warned her to be careful but she ignored it. Slowly Kate turned her head to get a look at her face from the side and saw her ears for the first time. They were slightly larger than normal and pointed. ‘Am I an elf,’ Kate wondered. From somewhere in the back of her mind a sleepy voice replied with a chuckle.

*No.*

*Dux’Tueor?*

Kate felt a drowsy affirmation and then the presence in her mind faded.

“How old are you?”

The question startled Kate, “Why?”

“If I had to guess, I’d have said early to mid-twenties, but with our kind looks can be deceptive.”

Kate glanced at Molly. ‘Our kind? Does she mean Mutant or Elf?’ Kate wondered. She also couldn’t help noticing, first time, how pretty this woman was. In fact two days ago Kate would have been insanely jealous of Molly’s figure and beauty. As Kate looked at Molly she felt a stirring of emotions, Molly was trustworthy, kind, and very attractive. There was an alien twitch in her groin as her new appendage started to respond to Kate’s thoughts in a way that caught Kate completely off guard.

She took a small involuntary step toward Molly. Kate felt drawn to her, and noticed that while tiny the Elven woman was incredibly sexy. Then as Kate took a second step she saw that Molly was wearing a necklace with a large green gem. She was casually holding it in one hand and something in Kate found the neckless very interesting. When she focused on it she detected a glowing green aura around it and Molly. Without knowing why Kate reached inside and felt that cold knot of power and drew on it, wrapping it around her in a protective cocoon. As soon as she did there was a sense of release and Kate stumbled back.

“What were you trying to do to me?”

“How did you do that?” Molly said, looking shocked.

Molly boldly met Kate’s astonished look with a curious one. After a second Molly let the gem drop to hang mysteriously in the cleft between her breasts.

“I was using a charm to help calm you and to encourage you trust me. You must understand I don’t get many visitors, and you’re the first Elf I’ve met in over a fifty years.”

“I’m not an Elf, I’m a mutant, and just two days ago I was . . . human!” Kate replied, she’d almost said, a girl, but something had caused her to change it to human at the last second.

Molly let out a sigh, “Not just a mutant, but you are young. Tell me your age child.”

“I’m . . . I’m sixteen.” Kate said.

Molly nodded, “Do you drink coffee or tea?”

“Coffee.”

“Alright, come with me.” With that Molly led Kate down a short hall and then through an arched doorway into an old fashioned looking kitchen. It had a stone hearth and lots of counter space along with several sets of cupboards. Molly gestured toward a table and Kate sat down to watch.

Molly bent over and retrieved a large clay jar filled with water and spoke a word that Kate couldn’t hear, she noticed Molly’s hands glow green for a second and then steam drifted up from the jar. Molly then went to a cupboard and pulled out a wooden container. Kate’s keen eyes picked out some kind of symbol etched on the side that she didn’t recognize. Then when Molly opened it Kate caught the scent of fresh ground coffee. Molly put two scoops of coffee into a modern looking French press made of glass and wood. Then she added the boiling water. A minute later Molly sat a pair of steaming mugs of coffee on the table along with fresh bread and butter. After taking a sip of coffee Molly looked over at Kate and nodded as if having come to a decision.

“My social skills are a bit rusty, and I think I’ve gone about this badly. Let’s start over, my name was once Molly Elisabeth Murphy. I was born in Ireland in 1890.”

Kate couldn’t resist blurting out, “You’re telling me that you’re over a hundred years old?!”

At this Molly arched an eyebrow, “If you want to hear my story then you need to stop interrupting me so I can finish.” Kate nodded and settled in to listen.

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER FIVE

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

***

Chapter Five

***

“I don’t remember much of Ireland, my parents immigrated to Boston when I was small.” Molly said, with a faraway look in her eye. “Boston, in those days was thriving. There was a growing Irish population and my parents saw to it that I was well educated. My father was a carpenter and had a prosperous business. My mother was a kind woman who loved to tell stories. She used to fill my brothers and my head with stories of Ireland, of elves, fairies, and leprechauns.” Molly said with a faraway look in her eyes.

“I was the youngest of eight children and the only girl. As such you can imagine how I was treated. I was my father’s Princess and my mother’s favorite. I always got the best of everything and if my brothers were jealous they didn’t show it. Then one day, when I was fourteen I got sick.” There was a slight catch in Molly’s throat, but she continued.

“At first we thought it was the flu. Then I started to change. My parents were horrified. They went to the church and brought back a priest. He told them I was possessed by a demon and they tied me to a bed. For the next few days they did everything they could think of to try to ‘cure’ me.” At this she paused to see if she had Kate’s attention. Kate shook her head feeling stunned.

“You can’t cure someone from being a mutant.”

“Yes, I know that. But at the time I didn’t know anything about being a mutant. I was just a scared little girl.” Molly took a sip of coffee as if to collect her thoughts. “When the change was complete I didn’t know what I was. Only that I was some kind of a monster. They didn’t give me a mirror, they just looked at me in horror. My mother sobbed for days. I’m not sure how long it took for me to change. But then one day the pain stopped and I could think clearly. That’s when I started noticing things. I could hear much better than before. My eyesight was sharper and I could see in the dark without difficulty.

The priest took this as another sign of the devil in me. He tried one ritual after another to cast the demon out and for the next few days I . . . well let’s just say they were unpleasant and leave it at that.” Molly said, taking another sip of tea.

“How did you get them to stop?”

“I didn’t, I escaped. You see I’d started to notice, when they left me alone, that I could see these glowing lines running through most things. The lines reminded me of threads and I discovered that I could touch them with my mind. When I did I felt a warm energy fill me and the injuries I’d taken from the attempts to exorcise my ‘demon’ healed themselves. Of course the priest took this as another sign that I was in league with Lucifer. He left my room and confronted my parents, I could hear them in the hallway outside my room talking. He told them that I’d have to be burned or the whole family was at risk. My mother was heartbroken, but agreed. My father was so angry he almost threw the priest out. There was no way he was going to burn his little girl. They decided to appeal to the Bishop.”

By this time they’d both finished their coffee but Molly appeared lost in thought as she stared out the window. Kate almost urged her to continue, but then reconsidered and sat quietly waiting.

“I didn’t know about mutants, and thought that the priest might be right. But I didn’t want to die. So that night I focused on the ropes they’d used to tie me to my bed. I felt the power within the ground and brought it up then I concentrated on the rope. It crumbled to ash. I climbed out of my bed and discovered that I was very weak. I hadn’t left that bed in days and I was filthy. I made my way to my closet and got dressed. Then I picked out a couple of dresses and bundled them into a blanket. I slowly made my way through our dark house focusing on being quiet. It was then I discovered that I can be very quiet. The priest had left and my family was asleep. I went to the kitchen and took bread and cheese, then I went to where I knew father kept his money. I still feel a little guilty but I took all of it. I felt bold then, and almost went into my parents’ bedroom to use my mother’s looking glass but changed my mind at the last moment. I knew I needed to leave and if I woke them I might never get away.”

“What happened next?” Kate asked.

Molly looked at Kate and shrugged, “I left. I made sure to cover myself with a bonnet and a long dress and I ran. I went to the train station and that’s
when I discovered my first glamor. I could get men to do what I wanted if I concentrated.” At Kate’s startled look Molly giggled, “Oh, nothing like mind control. I just smiled and pushed a little power at them and generally men would go out of their way to be nice and do what I asked. After being on my own for a month I met my first mutant, only we didn’t call ourselves mutants. I was in Atlanta and he was a wizard. He took me in and helped me learn what it means to be an Elf and how to control my magic.”

This statement caused Kate to look closely at Molly and she realized that her new features looked very similar to Molly’s only a male version. ‘No wonder she thinks I’m Elven.’ Kate thought. Molly shook her head and came back to the present and glanced over at Kate. Kate knew that Molly was expecting her to offer her story but for some reason she held back. Instead she asked, “How did you end up out here, by yourself?”

Laughing Molly showed her startlingly white teeth, “That, young man, is another story, longer and full of things that are personal. Now tell me, how is it that you ended up on my doorstep?”

Kate spent a second collecting her thoughts and Molly reached out to pat her hand. “Would you like another cup of coffee?”

Kate nodded mostly to buy some time. She felt like she should trust this woman, but recent experience had taught her to be cautious. Still she needed help and Molly was her best option.

Molly returned with two new steaming cups and sat down. With a sigh Kate said, “My parents are both mutants. I was raised knowing there was a very good chance I’d be one too. Then two days ago I was out with my friends when three mutants kidnapped me and killed my friend Peter.” Kate heard Molly’s quick startled inhalation but continued, “They took me to a house and sent a ransom message to my dad. Part of the message included my finger.”

“What!” Molly exclaimed and Kate glanced over to see shock on her face. Kate felt a cold knot of rage but she forced herself to focus on the story and disconnected herself from it.

“I think that’s what set off my mutation. When I woke up I was like this. It was the middle of the night and they’d left me alone. That was a mistake because it gave me the opportunity to escape.” Kate took another sip of coffee before continuing. “Once out of the house I could see that I was in the country, but I had no idea where I was so I picked a direction and started walking. Before I knew it, I was lost. Then this morning I saw the lake.” At this Kate waved a hand toward the water behind Molly’s cabin. “I was very thirsty so I made my way down to the water for a drink and that’s when I spotted your cabin. I figured it was my best chance at finding help.”

Molly looked thoughtfully at Kate for a minute. “There are things you’re not telling me, like your original name.” Before Kate could protest Molly held up her hand, “I understand your reluctance. There aren’t very many people in this area and even fewer mutants. The closest farm house is the old Stuart place. But they weren’t mutants and when Paul died his son got the place. He doesn’t live there, so I’m guessing that he might have rented it to the people who took you.”

“Do they know about you and this cabin!?” Kate blurted out.

“Hehehe . . . you’re safe for now. Not many know about my cabin, and even fewer could find it. The fact that you could see it from across the lake tells me that you have some magical talents.”

At this pronouncement Kate felt a tension she hadn’t known she’d had fade. She was also surprised at Molly’s comment about magic, neither of her parents had a magical ability. Molly noticed immediately and smiled, “When was the last time you slept?”

“I haven’t since my change.”

“I have a spare bed upstairs, you can take a nap while I see what I can discover about these kidnappers.” Not waiting for Kate to agree Molly took her by the hand and led her to a set of stairs Kate hadn’t seen before. ‘For such a small person, she’s pretty strong.’ Kate thought feeling amused. The narrow stairs led to what must have been the cabin’s attic. The roof sloped down along two walls and at the far end there was a window. Various items had been neatly stacked along the sides and Kate felt a brief desire to explore for hidden treasures. This feeling was surprising to Kate since she’d never been the nosey type and she suppressed it. Just below the window Kate spotted a twin sized bed.

“Go ahead and rest, I’ll wake you in a couple of hours, or when I discover something.”

Suddenly Kate felt tired and stumbled toward the bed. “But my parents, I need to let them know I’m safe. My dad, he’ll try to do something and they might hurt him.”

“Shush, rest, I’ll get word to your dad. What’s his name?”

“Carl Henderson, although the terrorists were calling him Menace.”

“Alright, I’ll see if I can get word to him,” Molly said, pushing Kate onto the bed. “Now, rest.”

Kate couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore and felt herself drift off.

***

Kate slid silently through the rocks. He could hear his prey up head just around the slight out cropping of rock. The grunting noise, that Kate supposed passed for a language, echoed over the frozen ground. Kate eased his head around the rock and spotted the Frost Giants. A male and female.

Kate pulled back remembering what Dux’ Tueor had told him of these creatures. Strong and tough, with thick hides that resisted magic and cold, two of Kate’s favorite weapons! This was what made the hunt more challenging. Kate focused on the power within, it felt like a knot of cold that burned with greater strength every day. Slowly Kate drew the power up and wrapped it around himself. Once ready Kate moved silently around the rocks.

The giants were focused on something on the ground between them. From where Kate was it looked like a polar version of a bear. Only this beast with white fur was much larger than its southern cousins. The male giant was facing Kate while his mate squatted with her back to him. Kate took two more steps and the male looked up, directly at Kate, blinked and then looked back down at his dinner. Kate felt a dragonic grin lift the corners of his invisible maw. Two more steps just to be sure the range was right then Kate opened his mouth and sent a blast of lightning directly into the male’s chest.

The blast came with a crack of thunder and the male frost giant was thrown back into the rocks. The female moved surprisingly fast for a creature of her size. She picked up a club that looked like it had been a small tree and tried to turn toward Kate. However, Kate hadn’t remained still. As soon as he’d blasted the male he was moving charging toward the female.

The frost giant swung her club in a backhanded swing blindly hoping to hit her attacker as she turned. Kate ducked the blow and surged up using the power in his hind legs to propel him forward. Kate’s forelegs hit each of the giantess’s shoulders, his foot long talon’s sinking into giant hide without trouble. In the same move Kate lunged burying his jaws into the giant’s throat. Kate’s weight and the momentum of his charge bowled the giantess over. Kate’s massive jaws nearly tore the giantess’s head from her shoulders and Kate felt a rush of dragonic glee as her hot blood hit the back of Kate’s throat.

Then Kate’s world exploded in pain. Kate felt himself thrown to one side as the male giant’s massive war club hit him on the shoulder just in front of his right wing. Kate rolled sideways over the rough, frozen, ground coming to his feet facing the male giant’s berserker rage at the death of his mate. Kate didn’t have time to think about it, but he knew that his right foreleg was injured and he could still fly, if needed.

Kate opened his mouth and hit the giant with a second lightning strike at point blank range. The giant raised his war club to block the strike. The power of the lightning shattered the club and caused the giant to stumble back a half step. Kate could now see that his chest was blackened and burned from the first strike, but he was far from out of the fight. Kate didn’t want to give the giant a chance to recover and snapped his wings down while leaping forward.

Kate surprised the giant, he hadn’t thought that Kate could cover so much ground so quickly. This was a mistake those who can’t fly often make when judging distances for those that can. Kate tried to get his jaws on the giant’s throat just as he’d done to the giant’s mate but the giant managed to get both hands around Kate’s neck, just behind his head. Kate sank the talons of his left foreleg into the giant’s shoulder hoping to force his arm back but the giant ignored the pain. Kate tried to use his right foreleg but it wasn’t responding. Then the giant began to squeeze. Kate’s hide resisted the pressure but the giant was strong!

In desperation Kate used his tail for a second to help with balance and snapped his wings to lift up, slightly. The giant hung on but Kate managed to get his rear-legs up, off the ground and in tight to his belly. Then Kate racked them down in a cat like movement. The talons opened the giant up from collar bone to groin.

The giant threw his head back and bellowed in pain his grip loosened. This was all the opening Kate needed. He surged forward pushing off with his hind legs, now on the frozen ground. Kate’s jaws clamped down into the giants throat while bearing him over. Kate again felt a hot rush of blood. The giant thrashed around for a moment and then went still as his blood pumped out onto the snow and ice.

Kate lifted his bloody maw to the sky and roared in triumph. At the sound there was an answering roar and then Dux’Tueor glided down from where he’d been watching Kate’s hunt.

*Well done, Dux’Primus, but why did you close with your prey?*

Kate looked up at his mentor, his blood still roaring within him from the fight. *They would have resisted most of my distance strikes*

*Most, but not all. You and I are dragons of a dual nature, while we are shunned by our metallic and chromatic cousins we have advantages they lack.*

Kate grunted and looked down at his leg. He could feel that it was starting to heal and reached into his well of power and then sent a wave of energy through the limb.

*You should have stayed airborne and veiled. Hit them with lightning and then veil. Hit and veil. They would have tried to take you out by throwing rocks, but those would have been easy to avoid. The fight would have taken longer but you wouldn’t have been wounded.*

Kate felt annoyed at the lecture, but recognized the wisdom. Why put yourself at risk if you didn’t need to. Kate sent an acknowledgement toward Dux’Tueor.
*I’ll do better next time.*

***

Molly lifted a trap door in the floor of her kitchen revealing a set of steps descending to her work shop. Her heart raced, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so excited. ‘After all of these years, I’ve finally met a male Elf!’ she thought. He’s young, of course, and untrained but he had so much potential! The charm Molly had tried to use to get him to let down his guard and trust her had been both powerful and subtle. He’d effortlessly detected and defeated it!

As Molly descended she waved her hand and dozens of candles flared to life. The work space under the cabin was bigger than the cabin and had a pair of doors that led to tunnels. There was also an arch of stone to one side of the room with a set of seven glyphs etched into its surface. If Molly needed too, she could activate the arch and return to civilization with a single step.

Moving in the opposite direction Molly went to the far end of the rectangular chamber. There she found a small circular table with a dark green cloth draped over it and an object on the table under the cloth. A hand carved chair sat next to the table and Molly settled into it before removing the cloth. Candlelight reflected from the polished dark wood. Setting the cloth to one side Molly turned back to the object, which turned out to be an ornate wooden bowl.

Molly waved a hand over the bowl and chanted a few words. The water within was crystal clear and it responded to Molly’s chanting by spinning around faster and faster until it had created a tiny whirlpool. Abruptly Molly stopped chanting. The water rose up into a column that slowly transformed into the figure of woman sitting at a desk writing. The figure stopped what she was doing and looked up, and then she turned her head to look at Molly.

“Mistress Eawren Lanethial?” The voice was faint but clear.

“Carwin, I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Nothing so important I can’t pause to talk to my mentor.” Carwin responded, her voice becoming stronger as her statue stood up and turned to face Molly. As it did the water forming the desk dropped back into the bowl. “Do you need my help?”

“Just a little information, dear.” Molly said. “A young boy just stumbled onto my domain and he claims he was being held by a group of mutants. According to the boy they sent a grisly message to his father, Carl Henderson, of Astoria, demanding a meeting. Can you see what you can find out?”

Carwin nodded, “I’ll start searching news sites and see what I can find. You know if you’d allow it, I could have a satellite dish installed on your property. Solar panels and a battery would provide the power. So you wouldn’t have to worry about power companies or workmen trampling around your land.”

“Now why would I need any of that?”

“Well, there’s this thing called the internet. You can use it for all sorts of useful things.” Carwin said mildly.

Molly’s laugh was light and full of humor, “But I’ve got friends and former apprentices who can use it.”

Carwin smiled impishly in response, “If you’re considering taking another apprentice, this young man perhaps, he’ll need to access the internet. His parents will want to be able to send emails and he’ll need to take classes on line. As well as stay in touch with the modern world.”

At this Molly looked more thoughtful, “I suppose you’ve got a point.”

Carwin’s face registered her surprise at this sudden change. “I’ve been trying to get you to let me connect you to the outside world for a decade and all at once you’re considering it?! This boy must be very special.”

Molly leaned forward, “He is. He’s the first Elf I’ve met in years. He’s the first male Elf I’ve ever even heard about. And he’s strong. He didn’t even know I had a ward over my property to keep strangers away. I tried a simple trust charm and he shrugged it off like water, and he’s got no training!” The excitement in Molly’s voice was surprising.

“Oh, wow, a male Elf? Are you sure he’s not just a mutant that looks like an elf?”

Molly leaned back, “It’s hard to know for sure, but physically he looks like an elf. His magic is instinctive, powerful, and has a wild natural feel. Similar in many ways to my own. Yet different . . . . I’ll have to do some tests to know for sure.” Molly said shaking her head.

Carwin nodded, “Give me an hour to do some research and then I’ll do a sending.”

Molly nodded. “Thank you, Carwin.” Then she waved her hand over the bowl and the image of Carwin collapsed with a small splash.

“Now let’s see what those three mutants are up to!” Molly said to herself. Her chanting took on a different tone this time and when she waved her hand over the water it shimmered and then the image of the farm house where Kate had been held came into view. There was a van parked in front but no one was in sight. Molly moved her hand over the image and it shifted from one angle to another. Then a person flew down out of the clear sky. He wore normal street clothes and had dark hair, a muscular build, and a hawk like nose.

The door to the house banged open and two other men walked out to meet the flying mutant. The three looked enough alike that Molly figured they were brothers and the three were likely responsible for taking her guest.

“What did Allura say?”

“That we’re all idiots, and that she’s coming here to make sure we don’t screw up again.” The flyer said.

“What when?” The brother with a little grey at his temples asked.

The flyer tossed a gem onto the ground. “Uhm . . . now, I guess.”

The gem started glowing and a line of energy slashed up from it. When the bright purple light reached ten feet it sort of turned sideways creating a circular portal in the air. After a second a woman stepped through. Even though she was scrying the scene, Molly had no trouble seeing the woman. She was wearing a black dress and was hunched over like a crone. Her grey hair and walking stick gave Molly the impression of age. Although, she seemed to move on light feet toward the brothers and as she did the gate snapped out of existence. When it did Molly noticed that the gem crumbled to dust.

“Fools! I need that girl. Her father must agree to take me to the cave, he’s the only one to survive the trip. What have you done to find her?” The woman’s voice was strong and cracked over the three like a whip.

“Mistress Allura, we are searching, but she mutated.” Ripple said, only to be interrupted by Dirty. “She must be an Exemplar like her mother because she tore the bars off the cell we had her in!”

Molly waved her hand over the bowl causing the scene to zoom in. “That woman looks familiar.” she muttered.

The figure of Allura became much larger and Molly saw that even though her hair was grey and she was bent over, she had almost no wrinkles. In fact her face was quite pretty. Then Allura froze and looked up at Molly, “Fools, someone is spying on us right now!” She lifted her cane and the crystal mounted into the handle flared purple.

The scene collapsed and the water within the bowl burst into steam. Molly leaned back just in time to avoid being scalded. After a second she rubbed her temples feeling the start of a headache.

“I know that face.” Molly said, her eyes still closed. Then it came to her, she’d attended a gathering to celebrate the winter solstice a decade ago. It had been hosted by a Wizard going by the name Solas. He’d specialized in the manipulation of light and Molly had attended because she’d been interested in some of his more advanced glamors. Solas had introduce his apprentice, Allura, to the guests. In Molly’s mind’s eye the girl had been a stunning beauty with long dark hair and fair skin. There was a strong resemblance between the crone she’d seen and the girl she remembered. It was like Allura had aged fifty years in the last ten. Except her face. Her face remained youthful, Molly wondered if this was more of a curse than a blessing.

Continuing to massage her temples Molly stood up and paced around the room trying to think. Allura had been gifted, but not particularly strong. The gate spell alone spoke of strength. Then there was the fact that she’d sensed Molly. Molly knew that her touch was light and subtle, only the most skilled mages would have been able to detect her.

“In ten short years the apprentice goes from student to master?” she said. Then Molly shook her head, “The signs are all there, she must have done something to gain so much so quickly. But at what cost?” Molly knew the ambition and foolishness of humanity and felt pity for Allura. “I wonder what is in this cave and why is she so desperate to have it?”

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

***

Chapter Six

***

The late afternoon sun, hitting Kate on the face, caused her to slowly crack her eyes open. Her drowsy mind was contentedly riding air currents high above a frozen mountain range and couldn’t reconcile the sunlight upon her face. Then she caught a whiff of wood smoke and freshly baked bread. Slowly she pushed herself up onto one elbow and felt a strange stiffness from groin. Kate glanced down and saw an alien bulge in her sweat pants.

Cautiously she reached down and poked it with a finger. The feelings were intense. Kate looked around and, seeing that she was alone, pulled open her waist band and looked down at the offending organ. Feeling like she was being naughty, Kate gripped her new appendage and gasped at the sensations. The damn thing was amazingly sensitive!

For a second Kate thought about exploring further but then the smell of fresh baked bread intruded and her stomach rumbled. Kate threw back the blanket and climbed out of bed. She descended the narrow staircase returning to the kitchen in time to see Molly stirring a vegetable stew before returning it to the stone oven.

“Dinner will be ready soon.” Molly said looking over at Kate.

“It smells great!”

“That’s probably the bread. It won’t be anything fancy, a vegetable stew and fresh baked bread. But it will fill you up.”

“Uhm, where’s the bathroom?”

Molly pointed toward the back door, “Go out back and look to the left away from the well. There’s an outhouse you can use.”

Kate nodded and headed out. It took her a minute to find the outhouse, and when she did she realized why she’d missed it during her earlier inspection. It was just beyond the clothes line partially hidden by a pair of trees. When Kate opened the door she was pleasantly surprised when it didn’t smell like every outhouse she’d used. Instead, it smelled like fresh flowers. Then she spotted a rune carved into the wood above the toilet and figured it must be magic.

Curious, Kate reacted on instinct, reached out with a part of her mind and felt the energy tied to the rune. Grinning at having solved the mystery Kate pulled her sweat pants down and paused in the act of sitting. A life time of training caused her to want to sit to relieve herself, but one looked at her rigid member told her that this approach wouldn’t work. The urge to pee was now intense, but getting the damn thing pointed in the right direction was impossible!

Frustrated and amused at her inability to do a very basic bodily function, Kate left the outhouse planning to wait it out, and then inspiration struck. She walked a few steps into the trees and pulled her cock out and after a few experimental squeezes managed to start pissing, even if it was up and out instead of down. Once she got it going Kate discovered that all she had to do was relax and allow her body to do what came natural. When Kate was done she returned to the cabin to find that Molly had set out a pair of wooden plates, bowls, and utensils. The stone stew pot was on the table along with a loaf of fresh bread on a wooden platter.

“I hope you’re hungry.”

“Starving!” Kat responded, with sudden enthusiasm.

“Good, then wash up and we can eat.” Molly nodded toward a basin and towel to one side.

Once seated Kate started wolfing down the food and Molly couldn’t help smiling at the masculine gusto. She had to resist an urge to reach out and stroke Kate’s powerful bicep, amazed at the masculinity Kate exuded. Molly nibbled at her food while watching Kate. After Kate finished her second bowl she started to slow down. And then, abruptly aware of Molly’s gaze, she looked up sheepishly.

“I don’t know why I’m eating so much.”

“Your body just went through a tremendous change and you haven’t been able to feed it properly. I made a very large stew for that reason. Please eat all you can. There’s another loaf of bread if you need it.”

Kate took her at her word and returned to eating. This time she ate more slowly and after a mouth full asked, “Earlier, you called yourself an Elf. I thought you were a mutant?”

Molly’s smile lit up the room, “I’m both Aes Sidhe and Mutant.”

At Kate’s confused look, Molly laughed, “Today we have so many labels for what fate has decreed. For you and me, we are of the Sidhe, or more commonly known today as Elves.”

“I don’t think I’m . . .”

“I know it’s confusing,” Molly interrupted. “The modern world wants to call us all mutants and then establish a category for each of us, like Exemplar and Wizard. But those of us trained in the ways of the ‘old’ world seldom concern ourselves with these kinds of labels. Instead we looked at the nature of a person. I can feel you’re connection to the natural world and the wild, untamed, core of magic inside you. You’re nature is of the Aes Sidhe.”

Kate looked down wanting to argue but not wanting to insult Molly. “What do you mean by the ‘old’ world?”

At this Molly looked thoughtfully at Kate and Kate knew she was trying to choose her words carefully. “When I say the ‘old’ world I’m talking about a time before the rise of Men. When the Aes Sidhe ruled in the West and all manner of mythological beings walked the land. It was an age of Legends, an age of Power, of Song, and Sorrow. The world was young and heroes stood against to forces of chaos and darkness.” Molly’s voice had taken on an odd, melodious, quality and she was now looking off into the distance, as if seeing things Kate couldn’t see.

After Molly trailed off Kate cleared her throat. “I thought you said you were born in Ireland around 1890s? What you’re talking about sounds much older.”

Molly nodded, “It is, my master, the Wizard who trained me, passed down the tradition and the stories to me.”

Feeling a sense of urgency, and wanting to change the subject, Kate said, “Did you get word to my dad?”

At this Molly blinked and focused on Kate and then for a second she looked a little embarrassed. “Ah . . . no. You see I don’t have a phone, or this internet thing everyone is talking about. I talked to a friend and she is trying to reach your parents.”

Kate stopped eating for a minute and then returned to her food. “Do you have a way to get back to civilization?” Kate asked, speaking between mouthfuls, “I’ve got their cell numbers, so all I need is a phone.”

Molly reached out and touched Kate’s hand feeling the rough texture of her masculine skin. “I know you’re worried. I haven’t been sitting around knitting while you were sleeping. I’ve found out a few things.”

Kate felt a thrill course through her male body at Molly’s touch and a corresponding twitch from her groin. Ignoring her body Kate looked at Molly expectantly.

“I scried the old Stuart farm and spotted three mutants who, I think, match the description you gave me of your kidnappers.”

“Did they have my father?”

Molly shook her head, “No, they were meeting with their . . . employer, a Mage they called Allura. Do you know anything about her?”

“No,” Kate replied, and then paused to think as a vague memory tickled the back of her mind. “I remember overhearing the brothers talking, I think they might have said something about an Allura.”

“I think that Allura wants you’re father to help her find something . . . a cave, I think. She was trying to use you as leverage to make him comply. Does any of this sound familiar to you?”

“My father . . . well he tries to keep his work at work.” Kate said, not wanting to discuss her family.

“What does he do for a living?”

“I . . . uh . . . don’t know for sure. He works as a Special Security Consultant for the International Executive Security Corporation. But I . . . don’t really know what that means.”

Molly looked at Kate for a few seconds, “Does he work for the Government?”

“No, the company isn’t part of the government. I think most of his work is out of country, mostly down south. South and Central America, I think.”

“Did anything unusual happen recently?”

“He came home a few weeks early from his last trip. That happens sometimes, but he normally calls a few days ahead of time to let us know. This time he was just, home.”

Molly nodded and Kate let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. After a second she returned to eating and Molly fixed herself another cup of tea. When Kate was almost finished Molly put her cup down.

“So, why don’t you tell me something about yourself, like your original name and how you decided on Dux’Primus for your new name?”

“I’d really rather not,” Kate said. “It’s kinda embarrassing.”

“Perhaps I can help.” Molly replied. “You used to be a girl named Kathrine Henderson. Your mutation changed you into a boy as well as an Elf.”

Kate felt stunned. Then she realized she was sitting there with her mouth open and snapped it shut. “How did you know? And if you knew why did you ask me?” Kate barked. A surge of anger swept through her and she leapt to her feet. Kate felt the cold power within her surge up in response to her emotions.

“Sit down and be still!” The words were spoken softly but they reverberated within the kitchen. Kate found herself sitting before she knew she’d moved. Molly gave Kate a strange look and Kate released the power she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. ‘What’s wrong with me,’ Kate thought at the wild surge of anger that had almost overwhelmed her.

After a second Molly spoke, “I asked my friend to look for stories on a missing and a murdered teenager. The father’s name was Carl Henderson. She said she found several ‘hits,’ whatever that means, for a missing Kathrine Henderson of Astoria Oregon. That’s up the coast from here and the surname fit. So I guessed that the reason you didn’t tell me your original name was because you were hiding the fact that your mutation gave you a sex change. Am I right?”

Kate nodded, her eyes glued to the floor her face bright red.

“See,” Molly said patting Kate’s hand, “that wasn’t so hard. So now I know you were Kathrine Henderson. Why don’t you tell me why you’re calling yourself Dux’Primus?”

Kate shrugged, “I couldn’t give you my original name. I didn’t know if I could trust you. Dux’Tueor gave me my new name and . . . it just felt right.”

“You’ll have to tell me who this, Dux’Tueor is, but since you gave me your True-name I’ll give you mine. I’m called Eawren Lanethial, my master thought I needed a Sidhe name.”

Kate nodded, and wanting to change the subject said, “How did you come to live out here?”

Molly chuckled, “That my dear is another story. One that will take an hour or two to share.” Molly said, with a wave of her hand, and then not to be deterred, “Now how did you come by your, other, name and who is Dux’Tueor?”

“I . . . don’t really know who Dux’Tueor is . . . when they took . . . when they cut off my finger I screamed . . . I’ve never been so angry.” Kate could feel tears running down her cheeks but she ignored them. “All I could think of was how much I wanted to kill them for hurting me. I’ve never been so angry in my life and then in my mind I felt . . . a response.” Kate looked up from the stew she’d been staring at, lost in thought. “Ever since then, when I dream, I’m with him in my dreams. He calls me Dux’Primus and he’s been . . . mentoring me.”

Molly looked thoughtfully at Kate, “Hmmm . . . can you talk to Dux’Tueor when you’re awake?”

“No . . . well . . . I’ve never tried.”

Molly nodded absently, “I wonder . . . be . . . well to use the modern label, an Avatar in addition to being a Sidhe Wizard.”

“Look, Mistress Lanethial . . . I’m very grateful for your help. But I need to talk to my parents. Can you help me get to a phone?”

Molly looked over at Kate and nodded, “Yes, but please call me Molly. My true name feels a bit . . . formal.”

“Alright, Molly.”

At this Molly stood up and led Kate to her basement sanctum. “This is where I do some of my workings.” Molly said, as Kate looked around in awe.

“I’ve never seen a Wizard’s lab.”

“I prefer to call it a sanctum.” Molly replied, with a smile. “Come.”

Kate followed Molly over to a corner of the sanctum where an eight foot tall arch, that vaguely reminded Kate of the one in St. Louis, stood. There were seven glyphs carved into the arch and Molly reached up and touched one. As she did Kate felt a surge of power from inside, as though something within her recognized whatever it was that Molly had just done.

“What did you do?”

“I activated the Gate, now watch.”

The rune Molly had just touched started glowing with a soft green light and then the air within the ach shimmered in response looking like heat waves off the road on a hot summer day. But the effect continued until the air within the arch was completely obscured.

“Come.” Molly said, and then stepped into the shimmering air she vanished.

Kate took a deep breath, “Do I trust her?” Then realizing that she really didn’t have any other choice Kate followed Molly.

***

Kate blinked several times and then looked around. She was standing in a sunlit grove. When she looked over her shoulder she saw a pair of trees that bent together forming an arch and between them the air shimmered. Molly waved a hand toward the trees and Kate felt another surge of energy move past and the distortion between the trees vanished.

“Where are we?”

“North and west of Hillsboro. This is the closest I can bring us to Astoria.”

Kate looked around and spotted a barn through the trees. Seeing where Kate was looking Molly nodded. “I own this land and that barn. Come on.”

Kate followed Molly between the trees and they soon arrived at the barn. It was made of wood and Kate spotted a crushed gravel driveway extending from the barn into the trees. Molly had moved around to the front of the barn and after muttering an enchantment under her breath opened the wooden sliding door. Kate’s breath caught when she saw the barn held several vehicles.

“Just because I choose to live away from civilization doesn’t mean I’m totally cut off.” Molly said, with a satisfied smirk.

Kate climbed into the old, but well maintained Ford F150. “I don’t have a phone, but we can be in Astoria in about an hour and a half.”

Kate sat quietly for several minutes watching the trees go by and then glanced at Molly as she focused on driving. It was obviously a skill she didn’t use too often. Then as if sensing Kate’s anxiety Molly asked her what she knew of magic.

“Not much really. My mom’s an Exemplar and my dad’s a Shifter.”

“Then let me go over some of the basics.” With that Molly launched into a lecture about ley-lines, magical energy, and the ways to manipulate it. Despite her worry about her parents Kate couldn’t help becoming more and more interested in Molly’s impromptu lecture. It wasn’t until she glanced out the window spotting the familiar streets of her home town that Kate realized they were in Astoria.

“Turn left at the next street.” she said, pointing. “We live outside of town.”

Molly followed Kate’s directions and about twenty minutes later a modern looking ranch style house came into view. It sat back from the road and there weren’t any neighbors too close. Kate was out almost before Molly had stopped the truck. She raced to the front door and when she found it locked, rang the bell. It was a few minutes before the door opened and a short thin man looked up at Kate. By this time Molly had joined her on the porch.

“Can I help you?” The man asked, coldly.

“Yeah, . . . Devon. It’s me Kate.” Kate said, recognizing one of her dad’s friends. Kate had known Devon for most of her life and seeing him now caused her to feel a surge of relief. “Where are Mom and Dad?”

“Who are you exactly? And how do you know my name?” Devon responded his amber colored eyes starting to glow.

“I already told you . . . I know your name because you’ve been over, like, a hundred times! I’m Kate. I’ve . . . changed since you saw me last.”

Devon’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Little, Cat?” Then he scowled, “No way, I saw Cat two months ago and you aren’t her. Carl would have told me if you’d mutated.

Kate nodded looking down at Devon, “Not so little anymore.” she muttered, then added louder, “When they cut off my pinky it sortta kick started my change.”

When Devon didn’t move Kate grunted, she felt a flash of anger and was tempted to push him to one side, but knew that wouldn’t work. Devon’s TK was pretty strong so she wouldn’t get anywhere trying to push him around. She let out a breath, “You came and visited us last summer. I had my learners permit and pestered you until you let me drive your Mustang. I thought you were going to have a heart attack when I got it over 120, but instead you just started laughing.”

Devon looked at Kate the surprise clearly written on his face and then he stepped to one side. “Tell me everything.”

Kate thought she would have felt safe once inside her house but her missing parents made her nervous. She also noticed, in a preoccupied kind of way, that the house felt kinda small. Like the size of everything was wrong. Doors and furniture were too small and when she picked something up she discovered it was much lighter than she’d thought it would be.

Kate turned to Devon and quickly outlined what had happened to her and then demanded, “Where are my parents?”

“Calm down,” Devon said. “Once you’d been taken, you’re dad made a few phone calls. By the time the video, and package were delivered, he was ready. He was supposed to meet them an hour ago. The agreement was they’d release you to your mother if your dad agreed to go with them and help them.”

Kate looked confused, “But I escaped last night! And why aren’t you with my dad!”

“The kidnappers failed to mention that detail!” Devon said, with a frown. “The plan was to wait until you and Maria were safe. Then Trish and I would follow and look for a chance to help Carl take them down.”

“How can they make a trade if they don’t have me?”

Devon shrugged, “I don’t know, but you’re mother went with your father. Trish is here as over watch.” At Kate’s confused look Devon grinned, “That’s right, you’ve never met Trish. She works with us at IESC. She’s a very talented agent, and right now she’s using Astral-Projection to follow along. So after the trade we’ll know where they take your father and what to do.” Then he grinned, evilly, “That is, where to go to clean up. Your father was a little upset with the kidnappers. There aren’t very many people who’ve angered your father and lived to tell about it.”

Molly cleared her throat, “How much experience does your team have with powerful magic users?”

Devon looked at her and shrugged, “Not much really. Trish’s ability to use Astral-Projection, is the closest we’ve got to that. I’m a telekinetic and
usually back up Menace. And not to be rude, but who are you?”

I’m Eawren Lanethial, of the Aes Sidhe. Kate here stumbled over my cabin after he escaped. I couldn’t turn away a newly transformed Sidhe, so I offered to help. Oh, I also happen to be a Mage.” Then before Devon could say anything Molly looked over at Kate, “They’ll probably put a glamor on one of the brothers to make him look like you. Then during the trade they’ll ambush them. I imagine they plan to hold your mother hostage against your father’s good behavior.”

Devon shook his head, “I’d like to see them try. Menace is very good at this and Maria, even though she’s not an operator, is no slouch.”

“DEVON!!”

The shout came from the family room. Kate followed Devon who had turned around with remarkable speed and darted away. A small oriental woman was sitting up from her position on the couch. Her eyes were wide and she looked at Devon in alarm.

“They’ve been taken!”

“What, how!?”

“It was all as set up. Menace took out the Terrakinetic, but Kate betrayed them! Kate took them out!”

“Are they hurt?” Kate blurted out in alarm.

The woman looked at Kate in confusion, “Menace is unconscious, but Maria . . . I don’t know. How could she do that? Their own daughter?”

“It wasn’t me!” Kate said tears starting to leak from her eyes. Molly moved up to put a hand on her shoulder but Kate angrily shrugged it off. In the back of her mind she could hear a roaring, a roaring that almost drowned out Molly’s words.

“It was Allura.”

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

***

Chapter Seven

***

Kate looked into the darkness her frustration at being left behind, and anger at what had been done, growing as the moon rose. She turned feeling the awkward shift in her groin as she headed back across the clearing. When she did she reached down and adjusted her cock and paused. Could she really keep on thinking of herself as a girl? The rod between her legs was a constant reminder of her change in status. Kate shook her head, there would be time to think about that later. She glanced up and saw the large black shadow that was the SUV a few yards away. After Trish had settled down with a cup of tea they’d gotten the story from her, Kate could see it in her mind’s eye and felt a fresh surge of rage.

***

“Are you ready?” Carl looked over at his wife. Maria nodded.

“Once I’ve got Cat,” she said, using Kate’s nick name, “what are you going to do?”

“I’ll go along with them at first and look for an opportunity to get away. If I can I’ll make sure they get caught, but our first priority is Cat.”

Maria nodded, “Agreed.” And then added, “But don’t do anything stupid and get hurt. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”

Carl took a quick look at his wife and then glanced back out the windshield of the mini-van at the empty dirt road in front of them. ‘I can’t afford to be distracted,’ he thought at the lump that formed in his throat. In all of his years doing “security” work this was the first time someone he loved was at risk. Carl didn’t like it.

All of a sudden a miniature tornado kicked up dirt and debris, spinning it around and around until visibility outside the mini-van was less than a foot. Then it stopped falling away abruptly as if it had never been there. As the air cleared Carl saw the three kidnappers and Kate standing in front of the van.

Without having to say anything both Carl and Maria exited the van and moved toward the kidnapers. To her horror Maria saw that Kate’s left hand was heavily bandaged and for a second she had to fight the urge to run to her daughter.

“Menace, are you willing to come along and do as you’re told?” The oldest of the three men said stepping forward.

Carl took a couple of steps toward the group and then stopped. “If you let my daughter go . . . then yes. I’ll do as you ask.”

Ripple turned toward the brother in a brown t-shirt and jeans. “Take her to her mother.”

Dirty grunted and, holding Kate’s arm at the elbow, walked her toward Maria. When he passed Menace he paused and gave Kate a little shove toward her mother. He then turned to grab Menace’s arm.

“Don’t give me no trouble, now.” Dirty said, trying to glower at Menace. The effect was ruined by the fact that Dirty had to look up at Menace, and that Menace looked far more dangerous, just standing still. Instead Dirty just sounded sort of nervous.

Carl grunted and allowed himself to be led toward the pair of brothers waiting impatiently. Carl wanted to turn and confirm that Maria and Kate were okay, but he kept on walking.

“Oh, baby,” Maria said hugging Kate. Then she let go, “Come on, we need to get you out of here.”

“No, mom,” Kate sneered. “We need to stay.” Kate then reached out and touched Maria on the forehead. Maria froze a look of shock on her face.

Carl spun about, “What the hell? Kate?” Surprise and confusion were clear on Carl’s face.

“You’re all coming with us!” Dirty snarled, gripping Carl’s arm and drawing on his power pulling it around behind Menace.

Faster than anyone could move Carl spun toward Dirty slashing out with his free hand as he moved. His hand transformed into a silver blade in an eye-blink and it swept through Dirty’s neck. For an instant no one moved. Then Dirty’s head tumbled to one side.

“Nooo,” Flurry screamed, and gestured toward Menace. A gust of wind tore into him but Menace’s whole body had flashed into its liquid steel form and somehow he ignored the wind. Then he started walking toward the two remaining brothers.

“How is he resisting me?” Flurry screamed in a near panic forcing the wind into a tight cone and blasting Menace in the chest.

Menace ignored Flurry’s attempts to slow him down. Each step caused the earth to tremble as if he weighed several thousand pounds.

“His file said that he can manipulate magnetic fields.” Ripple shouted, “He must be using that ability to anchor himself to the ground.”

As Menace closed in on the brothers Kate took a step to one side to get clear line on Menace. She shouted a series of words and then gestured toward Menace. A bolt of purple energy lanced out striking Menace in the side, breaking his concentration and throwing him to the ground.

Maria’s eyes were wild looking as she strained against the invisible bonds holding her. Then all at once they gave and she charged her daughter, but before she’d closed the distance Flurry made a punching gestured and a spear of hardened air blasted into Maria’s gut. The force of the blow lifted Maria from her feet and drove her backward pinning her to the grille of the mini-van.

Maria looked over at the person she thought was her daughter, “Katie . . . how could you?” Then her eyes closed and a second later the spear of air dissolved dropping Maria to ground blood pouring out of the gaping wound drenching her shirt and jeans.

Carl struggled to his feet but the woman masquerading as Kate was faster she placed a finger on his forehead and said, “Sleep.” Carl collapsed to the ground in a heap and the woman, wearing Kate’s form, turned to Flurry.

“Moron! She’d better live, or I’ll make you wish you were dead!”

***

Kate tried to force herself to forget the scene described by Trish. She shuddered to think of what her mom must have thought when ‘Kate’ had attacked her!? Or when she’d cast that spell at her own father! Kate just hoped that she’d have a chance to talk to her mom and dad, too explain. This made Kate realize she might never talk to her mom, get a hug, or ask for advice ever again. Suddenly Kate was caught between fighting back tears and wanting to rip something to shreds with her jaws.

“Damn it.” Kate swore, here she was a few miles from her enemies and powerless to help.

After Trish had explained what had happened the three adults had held a sort of war council. They knew where Carl and Maria were being held, thanks to Trish, but not for how long. Trish had followed the kidnappers back to the farm house and watched as they were dumped in the same basement cell that had held Kate. Although the kidnappers had made a few changes. The window had been bricked up and wards had been added to the walls.

Both Carl and Maria had been chained to the walls of the cell with rune inscribed changes. Trish didn’t know what they were designed to do but she was able to report that ‘Kate’ had been confident it would hold them.

This news meant that they had to move quickly if they wanted to help. They’d decided to wait a few hours. Once the kidnappers went to bed, they’d have their best chance. Around midnight they’d headed out to the SUV Devon owned and as soon as they’d settled into the vehicle Trish had gone into another trance. Devon glanced at Kate and grinned. “Don’t worry, Trish will keep an eye on them and let us know if anything happens.”

“So where is this Stuart farm?” Devon asked looking at Molly.

“Take the Oregon Coastal Highway south.”

Once they were over the Youngs Bay Bridge and away from the prying eyes of civilization Devon looked over at Molly. “You’re a sorceress right?”

“Something like that,” Molly agreed.

“Can you make it so people can’t see us?”

“Invisibility is tough.” she said. “I can make it so no one will noticed us.”

“Perfect. Do it.”

Molly nodded and then closed her eyes to concentrate. Kate watched and as she did she felt Molly gather energy from the world around her and then there was a kind of twisting sensation. Kate realized it was similar to what she’d done while hunting giants and then Molly opened her eyes.

“It’s done.”

“Good,” Devon said and the SUV lurched into the air. Both Molly and Kate grabbed for handholds as Devon grinned. “I’ve got this. I can fly us in a straight line much faster than we could drive it. Just sit back and hold on.” Then with a guilty look at Molly, “I will need your help navigating.”

Neither Kate nor Molly had to be told twice as Devon directed the vehicle south paralleling the coast at nearly a thousand feet. Meanwhile Trish was oblivious to what was going on in the vehicle. As they traveled south Molly started seeing land marks she recognized and gave Devon directions. Even though the sun was down there was enough moon light to see the coast. After several minutes of flying Devon brought the SUV into a small clearing about a few
miles from the farm.

After landing as if by some unseen signal Trish woke up. She’d reported that the two remaining brothers had been furious with Menace and once they’d gotten him in the cell they’d spent several minutes working him over. During that time Maria had come around but wasn’t looking to good. Finally, Allura had dismissed her glamor and used her magic, and authority over the brothers, to get them to stop beating Menace. This had probably saved his life. Trish couldn’t tell how badly Maria had been wounded, only that it was bad, and that the spells on the cell were preventing Carl and Maria from using their abilities.

After a minute Trish had continued her report. Allura had gone into a study on the ground floor and was making arrangements for the five of them to travel south into Central America. The brothers were out behind the farm digging a grave for Dirty. According to Trish they didn’t appear to be expecting any trouble, but they weren’t taking chances either. Allura had raised a set of wards around the farm.

Trish had finished her report by stating, “I doubt that we’ll be able to sneak up on them.”

The three adults had discussed the situation and decided that it would be best if Devon and Molly headed toward the farm to raid it when everyone settled in for the night. The brothers would be physically exhausted from digging the grave and emotionally exhausted from their brothers’ death. A raid in the early morning hours should be perfect.

The goal was to free Carl and Maria, and escape. Trish would keep watch in Astral form and if necessary help out. Kate wasn’t exactly sure what Trish could do, but Devon had readily agreed. Molly said she thought she could neutralize Allura’s wards. This would allow Devon the chance to break open the cell and get Carl and Maria out. If necessary he’d deal with Ripple and Flurry. At Molly’s frown Devon laughed.

“Hey, don’t worry. I’ll free Menace and Maria and then it’ll be three on two.”

Kate had tried to argue, “I can help. I’m stronger than a normal person and my senses are much sharper.”

“I’m sure you are, but your parents would never forgive me if something happened to you. Just sit tight. Trish will let you know what’s going on. If things go badly, run. Trish knows what to do.”

Kate turned around planning to make another circuit around the clearing and looked up into the full moon. She had a bad feeling that this wouldn’t be as easy as Devon had made it seem.

*You should learn to trust your feelings, young one.*

The voice in her mind was so shockingly clear that Kate stumbled.

*Dux’Tueor?* Kate felt the laughter in the back of her mind.

*Why do you let others hunt in your stead?* The feeling of puzzlement was as open and genuine a sentiment as Kate had ever felt.

*They say I’m too young!*

*They are fools. You’re a hunter. Staying back is unnatural.* The scorn in Dux’Tueor’s tone made Kate feel foolish for accepting the judgment of the two legs.

Just then Trish gasped. Kate rushed over to the blanket, where she had been sitting in the lotus position, silently watching their enemies. Now her eyes flashed open, “The sorceress, she knows!” Then Trish let out a sigh and crumpled to one side.

Kate looked at Trish and then in the direction Molly and Devon had left. They needed to know what was going on. Kate picked up the radio that had been sitting next to Trish. It was how Trish was supposed to communicate with Devon.

“Devon, this is Kate, Trish said that you’ve been discovered.”

There was no response so Kate repeated the message. Again there was no response. “What do I do now?” Kate said in desperation.

*Do what you were born to do, hunt!*

*How do I do that? I don’t even know where they are, and if I did how would I get there in time?*

*Have you forgotten your true nature? Embrace it and hunt!* There was a feeling of frustrated puzzlement in Dux’Tueor’s tone.

For a minute Kate felt torn, ‘what should I do,’ she thought in confusion. Then she looked inside and felt an icy well of power. It was power that had been growing inside her every day since she’d changed. Kate embraced the power and she felt her confusion melt away. Kate felt, rather than saw, a glow cover her body and then she was running. Each step covered a dozen feet as she raced through the trees toward her prey.

***

Molly held Devon’s hand tightly as the mutant flew them toward the old Stuart farm. She had spells that would allow her to fly but letting Devon take care of the transportation allowed her to focus on what she’d need to do to take down Allura’s wards. The woman was unbelievably strong and skilled for one so young! It took about ten minutes to fly up to the farm, mostly because Molly had told Devon to take it slow and give her time to prepare.

“Stop here!”

Devon slowed quickly to a hoover. “What is it?”

“Wards, now shush.” Molly replied. “I need to concentrate.”

Molly had to give Allura credit. The wards were very sophisticated for a woman who’d only been practicing the Art for a few decades. It took Molly almost five minutes to take them down.

“Alright we can continue. Please set me down in front of the house and then fly around back. When you hear a loud noise, rip open the basement cell and get the Hendersons out.”

“Sure, but what about the wards blocking their powers?”

“Warding is a very delicate art. If you do enough damage to the building when you open the cell . . . well, that should disrupt the wards. After that I’m guessing that Carl and Maria will be able to get free.”

“Okay, but what’ll you be doing?”

Molly laughed, “Causing a lot of noise.”

“You don’t plan to fight all three of them at once do you?”

“Not if I can help it, but if I have to I can deal with them for a few minutes. I’ll buy you some time and then run away. Now go!”

On her command Devon settled Molly onto the grass in front of the farm and then raced around to the back.

Molly gave Devon a few seconds head start and then reached into her blouse and pulled out a neckless. One of the charms on the neckless was a simple looking wooden star. Molly gripped it between her thumb and forefinger and said, “Invoke.”

The charm crumbled and suddenly Molly’s thin wooden staff appeared, and as it did Molly’s modern clothes shimmered and vanished. In their place a set of flowing green robes covered Molly and on her brow rested a glowing silver gem. Satisfied that she was ready Molly thumped her staff against the ground three times.

“ALLURA, COME FORTH!”

“ALLURA, THOU COWERED, I CHALLENGE THEE!”

“ALLURA, THRICE I CALL AND DONE. STAND TOO AND FACE MY WRATH!”

Power burst from the gem on Eawren Lanethial’s brow in a wave of silver green light that washed over the farm. The response from the farm house was quick.

“WHO DARES CHALLENGE ME!?”

Even as the words echoed through the night the farm lights sprang up and the front door burst open. Allura strode out onto the porch, a glowing wand in one hand and a Kris in the other. She was no longer bent over, even though her hair was still grey, and power seemed to spill out of her skin crackling around her.

“I AM EAWREN LANETHIAL AND I CHALLENGE THEE!”

Before she finished speaking Allura pointed the Kris at her and spoke a word of power. A beam of undulating purple energy shot out but Eawren didn’t move. The light hit an invisible shield splashing around the Elven woman. Then she directed her staff at Allura and lightning fell out of a clear sky striking the sorceress. The display was dazzling, but when the light died away Allura had taken several steps toward Eawren, apparently unharmed.

“Light and power are easy, how do you feel about spirit?”

This time when Allura gestured with her wand Eawren suddenly felt a crushing sorrow. How could her own mother and father reject her? They had wanted to burn her because she was a monster. Eawren staggered back. The guilt along with self-loathing made her want to vomit, her concentration wavered.

***

Devon raced around the farm feeling a little worried about leaving Molly to deal with the sorceress but knowing that the best shot they had was a quick strike to free Carl and Maria. He arrived behind the farm house in seconds and looked at the freshly bricked up window.

“This ought to be easy.” he muttered. Then he heard Molly’s challenge and his jaw fell open. “That woman is crazy!”

Devon lifted a hand and there was a gust of wind and pain lanced through his wrist. Devon looked on in disbelief as his hand fell away from his arm. The razor thin whip of air had taken his hand off so fast he hadn’t had time to react.

“So you think we’re a bunch of fools do you?” Flurry said stepping out from behind the veil of air. Next to him his brother gestured at the bucket of water at his feet. The water arced up from the bucket and raced around into a vortex of spinning fluid above his head.

“I think it’s time to get some pay back for Dirty.” Ripple snarled.

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

***

Chapter Eight

***

Kate raced through the trees, her feet barely touching the ground. From up ahead she could see flashes of light and knew her friends were fighting to free her parents. A sense of urgency filled Kate and she pushed herself to run even faster.

***

Devon sank to his knees as the pain from his severed hand hit him. Even as he did he had the presence of mind to use his good hand to slap the ground. There was a ripple of telekinetic energy that flew out knocking both brothers from their feet. Taking advantage of the momentary opportunity he glanced at the bricked up window and gestured. Cinder blocks, brinks, and dirt exploded out from the wall turning into projectiles that flew out darting over Devon’s head toward Flurry and Ripple.

The spinning cloud of water, that Ripple had pulled up from the bucket turned into a column of spinning water in front of Ripple deflecting the debris to one side. Next to him Flurry created a miniature tornado that protected him from Devon’s attack. In a few seconds the attack was over and the two brothers grinned evilly at Devon. The little man was now holding the stump of his arm to his side focusing on staunching the flow of blood.

Ripple gestured and a bolt of water broke away from the whirlpool over his head becoming a spear of water that jetted toward Devon. Devon lifted his hand in a blocking gesture and the water struck an invisible telekinetic field. Devon sank to a knee. He felt dizzy from the loss of blood and it was getting harder and harder to focus his power.

***

Eawren fought a mostly defensive battle as Allura slashed in with one attack spell after another. She’d overcome the crushing grief and guilt in time to defeat a shadow snake that had tried to catch her in its coils. She’d responded by asking the grass at Allura’s feet to grow and entangle her. The grass had reacted with enthusiasm, growing to nearly five feet in length in less than two seconds and snaking around Allura.

Allura had cut a circle around her with her Kirs and then fire blazed up in response, burning out and away from Allura’s body turning the grass to ash in seconds. This had bought Eawren time and she’d used a spell that created seven duplicates of her. Each illusionary replica blinked in and out of existence in a circle around Allura making it difficult for her to target any of them, while cloaking the real Eawren in an illusion that made her unnoticeable. One of Eawren’s doppelgangers sent a dazzling beam of illusionary magic at Allura.

“How much time does Devon need?” Eawren hissed to herself.

***

The brothers had moved apart to give themselves room to move and to allow an effective crossfire. Jets of water and spears of hardened air struck in a rapid staccato against Devon’s shield. He could tell that it was failing, it would only be another second or two and then one of the strikes would break through.

Ripple moved closer to the kneeling Devon. “You should have come better prepared, if you wanted to play in the big leagues.” With that he gestured with both hands like he was about to push Devon and the jet of water hit with enough force to shatter Devon’s shield. The feedback caused Devon to slump forward an ice pick of pain digging in at his temple.

“If you’re counting on your friends to help you then you’ve miscalculated.” Ripple gloated. “They are chained and warded.” At this he started laughing.

Devon glanced back at the gaping hole that was once the wall of the basement cell. He saw the glow from a pair of silvery eyes.

Devon grinned up at Ripple. “You might be right . . . or not!”

“Ripple, look out!” Flurry screamed.

Ripple turned his head just in time to see a large wolf like creature made entirely of liquid silver make an impossible leap from the dark maw of the basement toward him. He lifted his hand and the water he’d been controlling formed a curtain between him and the beast and then hardened so that it was harder than ice. The water shattered under the impact of the beast. Ripple fell backward stunned as the metallic jaws of the monster close on his throat.

A razor thin whip of air struck the silver wolf but the creature ignored it. White hot pain filled Ripple’s mind as a flood of blood pumped out of his ravaged throat.

The silver wolf looked up at Flurry with intelligent eyes and changed, going from silver wolf to silver human in a heartbeat.

“You enjoy hurting people, do you?” Menace took a step toward Flurry and the ground shook. The metal buckle on Flurry’s pants ripped loose and flew toward Menace as did Flurry’s watch as Menace drew on his power.

***

Eawren danced away from the grasping hands of a spectral crone. All of her decoys were gone and Allura was still hitting her. Eawren was now becoming desperate, Allura should have run out of power long ago. ‘Where the hell is Devon,’ she wondered. Then a dart of dark energy broke through her shield tossing Eawren onto her back and causing her entire body to spasm. For the first time Eawren considered the unfortunate possibility that Allura might actually best her. She pushed herself up onto her elbows as Allura closed in. Allura’s clothes were singed and a large chunk of hair had been burned off, but she showed no other signs of damage.

“I don’t know why you’re involved with this, what is Menace to you? If you surrender and swear to me I’ll spare your life. Join me and I’ll even share the cave’s power with you!”

Eawren blinked, it was a generous offer. Allura had defeated her and in a few minutes would break through Eawren’s last defenses and kill her. By binding Eawren to her, Allura increased her power and status while avoiding killing another who practiced the Art.

“No one will be surrendering today!” The words thundered over the yard.

Both Allura and Eawren looked over in time to see Carl, carrying Maria while Devon limped along next to him, cradling his injured arm. A hasty tourniquet made from a belt had been applied to stop the bleeding.

“Your goons are dead. Now, where is my daughter!?” Carl’s voice thundered over the farm yard with a raw ragged power. Electricity seemed to leap from him in random bolts hitting anything metallic within ten feat of Menace. Before Allura could react Menace sat the semi-conscious Maria on the grass and stepped away. Then he started changing and growing. His silvery skin glowed with power and his height doubled and then tripled.

Eawren pushed herself to her feet. “It seems this fight isn’t over just yet.”

Rather than answer Allura gestured with her wand and three glowing purple rings appeared around Eawren. The rings cut through her remaining spells and immobilized her. Then Allura spun back to Menace.

“I appreciate your tenacity, but you will lead me to the cave, or lose everyone you love.”

Menace leapt forward and ran into an invisible wall. Menace stumbled back and the struck the wall with a double fisted blow that caused it to shimmer into view for a second before it disappeared. Menace raised his hands to strike again and Allura pointed her Kris at Maria.

“Obviously you don’t believe me when I threaten you, perhaps your wife’s death will show you the gravity of my purpose.”

However, before she could bring her arm down a roar from the trees echoed over the yard. Kate burst from the tree line at a full run. At nearly six and a half feet tall Kate’s body blazed with energy. In an eye blink she was looming over Allura. Kate reached out and grabbed Allura’s arm and her energy shield flared up, stopping Kate. Then Kate squeezed and the shield collapsed.

At point blank range Allura put the tip of her wand against Kate’s chest and spoke a Word of Power. The blast of energy lifted Kate tossing her back several feet energy arcing like purple electricity through and around her body. For a second Kate wondered if she was still alive. And then she almost started laughing, electricity . . . really? Instead of being hurt Kate felt supercharged.

*It’s time.*

*Time for what?*

*To be what you were born to be.*

As Dux’Tueor spoke Kate felt the world slip away.

“Noooo . . .” Eawren wailed. “If you’ve killed him, I swear I’ll make you wish you’d never been born!”

Allura glanced over at Eawren, “You shouldn’t let your minions attack their betters, if you value them.” She then dismissed Eawren and looked back over at Menace. He’d taken advantage of the distraction to return to pounding on the shield. At his third blow it failed and he stumbled toward Allura.

“You’ll pay now bitch!” Menace said.

Allura spoke a word and suddenly there were three of her standing in front of Menace while a veiled Allura was transported several feet away. When she opened her mouth to speak the sound came from one of her doubles.

“You are stronger than I thought. Work with me and I’ll see to it you are reunited with your family.”

Menace swung a fist at the double that had spoken and it popped like a soap bubble.

“Menace, don’t listen to her, she’s lying!” Eawren said.

Menace glanced at her, “You must be the friend Devon told me about. Don’t worry I won’t help her.”

“Then I’ll have to get a little more creative.” One of Allura’s doubles said.

***

They circled the cluster of lights from ten thousand feet. It was a fascinating sight to Dux’Primus, as the lights moved, danced, changed color, and moved again. As they watched, sounds drifted into the night sky, music, laughter, and the buzz of conversation.

*What is it?*

Dux’Tueor responded, *A city of the Aes Sidhe, an Elven city.*

They continued to circle, watching, waiting, and then there was a green flash to one side of the city near a cluster of trees and a stream.

*There, come.* Dux’Tueor said, diving toward the source of the flash.

Dux’Primus followed. As he landed next to the larger dragon he scanned the area quickly spotting a two-leg. A female of the species, he recognized the signs.

“Well met, Dux’Tueor,” the woman said with a musical lilt to her voice. “Is this the young one we spoke of?”

*Yes.* the Elder dragon responded and then looked over at Dux’Primus.

*Watch closely and do what I do.*

Dux’Tueor flooded his body with his power and then somehow changed the tenor of the power, adjusting it, shifting it, while contracting the energy. As this happened Dux’Primus saw the elder dragon’s body shift and shrink until he was only a little larger than the female. Then it was over and to Dux’Primus’s eyes Dux’Tueor appeared to be nothing more than a pointy-eared two-leg.

“Can you do, what I just did?”

His mentor’s voice held a note of challenge, Dux’Primus never liked to fail when challenged. He considered the question.

*Yes, I think so.*

“Then show me.”

In a few seconds Dux’Primus stood on two legs looking over at his mentor. “Did I get it right?”

“Let me see,” the woman said walking slowly around his naked form. “Yes . . . mhmmm . . . I think you did. You make a very handsome Sidhe. If I didn’t know that you were of the Eldest Race I’d swear you were a young Aes Sidhe warrior.” She turned to Dux’Tueor, “I’ll teach him what I can.”

“Then I’ll count our bargain fulfilled.” Dux’Tueor said. Then he looked over at the younger drake. “Stay with Mistress Lanethial, learn what she teaches.”

Dux’Primus nodded, “For how long?”

“Until you’re done.” Then the older dragon said as though it were obvious. Then in a burst of power he returned to his natural form and jumped into the night sky. Dux’Primus turned toward the woman.

“I have clothes for you,” she said, gesturing toward a bundle.

“Why?”

“It is the custom of my people to clothe ourselves. They provide some protection and can be used socially to convey a variety of messages.”

“Alright.” Dux’Primus moved over to the pile of garments. With a little help he was soon dressed.

“You may call me Mistress Lanethial, but my full name is, Arawen Lanethial.”

***

Kate could hear Allura talking to her dad but the sound seemed to come from miles away. ‘Was this what it felt like to die,’ Kate wondered. By some instinct Kate reached in side and felt her power. It had never felt so close or so utterly cold. As she touched it she felt it respond in an eager wave and she embraced it. It flooded her body, pushing up and out filling her with a sweet agony of cold fire. Kate’s body spasmed, convulsed, and then rippled under the forces racing through her and then she began to change. She felt her clothes rip, burst, and fall away as her body expanded. Unnoticed, Kate rolled over onto all fours and dug at the ground with her new talons.

Kate shook his head and scales, in an undulating wave, rippled down his back. He looked up at the moon and rearing up onto his hind legs he flapped the wings the burst from his back. Icy POWER filled his veins, as Dux’Primus was born, and he ROARED in jubilation.

When he looked down on the two-legs and he saw that they’d stopped jumping about and were staring at him. This was as it should be, was he not magnificent?! Yet one of the two-legs needed to be chastised. But which one?

There was the two-leg trapped in rings of power. She resembled one of the Sidhe. Dux’Primus felt a memory stir, Mistress Lanethial, why did she allow herself to be held? Dux’Primus reached out with his power and unraveled the energy holding the Elf.

By this time the other two-legs had backed away. There was one, with the size of Frost Giant who looked dangerous. For a second he thought that hunting this powerful two-leg would prove a challenge worth the effort. Then from a corner of Dux’Primus mind he knew that this creature was a friend and more. He was someone that Dux’Primus cared for, ‘what an odd feeling,’ he thought. Then he spotted the two-leg with the purple aura. She gestured at Dux’Primus and a beam of purple energy leapt from the twig in her hand. Dux’ Primus ignored it and took a step toward the offensive two-leg and the bolt hit him on the chest. It hurt for a second and then the pain was gone. This was the two-leg that needed to be chastised!

Somehow he knew that he needed to be careful not to hurt the other two-legs. Dux’Primus circled to one side fixing the woman with the purple aura with his GAZE. The stare of a dragon has a power all of its own, the woman who called herself Allura couldn’t move as the Great Drake circled.

Then at the last second she shook herself, ‘this isn’t possible,’ Allura thought, ‘dragons don’t exist.’ Then the dragon inhaled and Allura held up both hands, arms crossed summoning her most potent shield.

The blast of super cold air was like nothing she’d experienced. Allura’s shield was designed to protect her from heat, cold, magic, and telekinetic force. But under the power of the dragon’s breath it nearly failed. Allura staggered back the frozen grass crunching and breaking under her feet her well of power used up in that one protective spell. This was impossible! She had paid deeply for that power and now it was almost gone!

“I don’t know who you are but this isn’t over.” Allura hissed and then she touched a ring of purple gold on her left hand. Even from where she was Eawren tell it was an evil thing. Then a cloud of purple black mist covered her in an instant. Dux’Primus opened his jaws and this time lightning lanced out slashing through the dissipating cloud and digging a trench of burned earth where Allura had stood.

Silence filled the yard.

Dux’Primus looked down at the two legs around him feeling confused. He wanted to blast, tear, rend, and shred . . . yet something told him that he shouldn’t hurt these two legs. They were shouting up at him but they were speaking gibberish. Dux’Primus crouched down readying a jump that take him in to the vaulted dome of the night.

*Remember what you learned, it is time to change.*

*Dux’Tueor?*

*Who else, young one. You need to change, these two-legs are important to you.*

Dux’Primus disagreed. He wanted to spread his wings and take to the air. He could smell the ocean and the woods around him looked like they might be filled with game. But even as he considered this he felt Dux’Tueor’s disapproval. He looked back down at the two legs and let out a disappointed sigh and summoned his power.

Kate stumbled, the change from dragon to human was disconcerting. He dropped to a knee barely aware that he was naked and let his body shake as he adjusted to the shift.

“Young man, you have my thanks for the help. Do you have a name?”

Kate looked up at his dad. Carl had returned to his normal form now that Allura had vanished. Kate glanced to one side and saw Molly move slowly toward him. With a groan Kate stood up, and had to fight the urge to cover his new organ.

“Daddy, don’t you recognize me? I . . . sortta went through my mutation and . . . well.” Kate trailed off.

“Cat, is that . . . you?” The shock and disbelief in his voice hurt Kate.

“I’m afraid so,” Kate said, softly, looking down and covering himself in embarrassment.

“Here, child, this should help.” Molly pulled the green cloak from around her shoulders and offered it to a very grateful Kate.

Carl looked at Molly and frowned. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduce. I’m Carl Henderson, how do you know my dau . . . child?”

“My name is Eawren Lanethial, Kate here stumbled onto my doorstep, after he escaped those criminals. I brought her to your house and once I realized that you were facing a wizard knew that you’d need my assistance.”

When Molly spoke, Kate felt his heart lurch recognizing the name, Lanethial, from his dragon dream. Kate peered closely at Molly, ‘she even looks like Mistress Arawen Lanethial,’ Kate thought.

Carl extended a huge hand, “Thank you.”

Molly looked at it for a minute as if remembering what she was supposed to do with it, and then shook it awkwardly. The formalities complete, Carl turned to Kate, “Is that really you Cat?”

“It’s really me, Daddy.”

Carl stepped over and gave Kate an uncomfortable hug. “You’ve grown.”

At this Kate started chuckling, the chuckling turned into chortling, and then he was gasping for breath. The relief at finding his parents alive, the after effect of the adrenalin from the fight, and the exhaustion of the last few days combined in the pure release of laughter was unbelievably cathartic. When Kate whipped his yes to clear them he looked at his dad, “You don’t know the half of it.”

Just then there was a moan from Maria. Carl spun around and rushed to his wife’s side, Kate only a step behind. Maria opened her eyes and smiled up at her husband, “Did I hear Kate’s name?”

“Yes, dear, Kate’s safe. But we need to get you to a hospital.”

“I don’t need a hospital, dear, my body’s already healed most of the damage. Now that we’re out of that damn room. I’m just really sleepy, and now that I know Kate’s safe, I think I can rest.” With that Maria closed her eyes and settled back into the grass.

“Is she?” Kate asked in a soft voice.

Carl looked up at him and seeing his concern shook his head. “No, she’s fine. She’s a very tough woman, in addition to being an Exemplar, she has a low level regeneration.

“Well, I don’t have regeneration, and could really use a hospital.” Devon said. Just then lights from the road caused everyone to glance at the SUV Trish was driving.

“It looks like your ride is here.” Molly said. “I’ll be going now, but if it’s alright, I’d like to come visit in a day or two.”

Carl nodded, but Kate spoke up, “I’d like that.”

Molly smiled, “Until then, goodnight.” Then she disappeared into the woods.

Kate hadn’t realized how tired he was until he climbed into the SUV. The trip to the hospital was a blur. Fortunately Devon had the presence of mind to grab his severed hand. Devon had lost a lot of blood, but the doctors told him that he’d been lucky the cut had been so clean. They’d also examined Maria but her wound had closed and even the scar was slowly fading.

Kate mostly slept in the waiting room as the doctors examined Maria and took Devon into surgery. By the time the sun was rising Carl had informed him that it was time to go home. During the drive back to their house Maria kept looking at Kate asking him question after question, as if to re-reconfirm his identity. Kate didn’t mind, he was just grateful that his mom was well enough to ask questions. During the interrogation Carl didn’t say much, just a grunt now and then. At last he pulled into their driveway.

“Why don’t you two sit down at the kitchen table? I’ll make some breakfast and then I think we all need some rest.”

Kate and Maria nodded and moved to the table. From here Kate could watch his father cook, a dozen scrambled eggs, a pound of bacon, and a dozen pieces of toast. The food was making Kate’s mouth water, “I didn’t know I was hungry until I smelled the food.” he commented.

Carl grunted, “That’s how it is after using so much power. Right honey.”

Maria nodded distractedly still looking at Kate. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Maria gestured to Kate, “How are you doing with . . . you know . . . your change.”

“Oh,” Kate said looking down. “I’m mostly ignoring it right now.” Then before either of his parents could say anything. “I mean, right after I changed I had to escape, and then I was just trying to survive. Once I met Molly, I was more concerned with finding you and Dad and letting you know that I was okay. But when we got here we found Devon and Trish waiting, and well, you know the rest. I just really haven’t had time to . . . you know . . . figure this out.”

Maria reached over and patted Kate on the arm. “It’ll be okay dear. We love you.”

Carl started setting plates of food on the table. “You know Maria, the best thing for Cat might be Whateley.”

Maria glanced up at Carl, “but she . . . uh . . . he’s a little old. He’s getting ready to start his junior year.”

Carl shrugged, “We’ve got a few weeks to figure it out. But I’m sure Whateley accepts transfer students.”

Kate looked back and forth between his parents, “What’s Whateley?”

Whateley: “Survival”

[A Whately Universe FanFic]

By Zapper

***

Chapter Nine

***

Kate looked down at the new ID card, the one issued by the MCO, the Mutant Commission Office, with mixed emotions. The card read: Silver-Drake, male, DOB 998, Telepath – 1, Exemplar – 2, Regenerator – 2, Wizard – 3, Avatar – 5+, BIT - Elf. Kate, sighed he’d thought about using Dux’Primus as his code name, but Molly had thought it would be a bad idea to use a “True Name” and suggested he come up with something else. Kate had really wanted to be called Dragon, but apparently someone already had that name. Then he’d tried Drake but that had also been taken. Then his dad had suggested Silver-Drake and that had been available. However, thinking about his new code name reminded Kate of the testing required to get the card.

A few days after the fight, His dad had called a friend in the MCO office in Monterey, California, and had arranged a visit. The facility had been a single story brick building, but once Kate was inside he realized that it had several stories, they just all happened to be below ground. His dad introduced Kate to a short, stocky, bald man with a goatee that was mostly gray, as Dr. Steel. The doctor would be conducting the testing. The testing itself had been, in many ways, anticlimactic. Lifting and running were expected but then some of the mental testing had surprised Kate.

Like when he’d been asked to read a paragraph and then recite it from memory, or solving advanced equations. Taking apart and reassembling gadgets had been a total failure, as had trying to look through another’s eyes, or looking into the future.

There had been a little success when Kate had been asked to project words to another person. It turned out that he could hear thoughts, if they were directed at him, and if he was actively “listening for them. He could also send his thoughts into another person’s mind.

The magic testing had also been interesting. Kate had been handed a crystal and asked to focus on it. It had started to glow at once. Then he’d been asked to feel the ‘energy’ in the room. Kate had felt the lines of power running under the room but when asked to touch them he’d found that they were just out of reach. After several failed attempts Kate had a burst of inspiration and reached into the well of cold power inside and using that power reached out and touched a ley-line. The power from the line surged into Kate surprising him and causing him to let go.

He was then asked to once again connect to the ley-line and use that power to do a few simple tasks. Lighting a candle by focusing on it had been really hard and after almost ten seconds Kate had succeeded. Dr. Steel had grunted and started to make a note in his clipboard. Kate, in frustration, let go of the ley-line and focusing on the power inside, then with a wave of his hand had lit every candle in the room. This seemed to impress the doctor, particularly when Kate described his internal power. He babbled on about ‘new’ forms of magic. This had caused Dux’Tueor to wake up enough to snort and then go back to sleep.

When the Dr. Steel asked him to use his Avatar, Kate focused on the knot of cold power inside, sort of like tapping the power of Dux’Primus, and drew upon his dragon nature. Everything changed. Kate discovered that he was now stronger, faster, and tougher than before and the magic in the room hummed more strongly around him.

Next the doctor took Kate to a large empty room that reminded Kate of a garage. Dr. Steel asked Kate to transform into the dragon shape he’d used during the fight. Kate pretended to focused as if he was really trying. After a few minutes Kate looked at Dr. Steel and shrugged, “Sorry, I think I need to be really, really, angry to do that.”

What Kate didn’t tell his dad or Dr. Steel was that the dragon form scared him. Kate had thought about that night several times and if it hadn’t been for Dux’Tueor, he doubted that he would have remembered that he was human . . . or elven . . . or a mutant . . . or whatever. The urge to race into the night and hunt had been almost over powering. Even remembering it left Kate shaking with the desire to shift and to lose himself in his true form. He clamped down on that urge, hard! No, there was no way Kate was going to shift, at least not without a very good reason. And power testing didn’t seem like a good enough reason to Kate.

When he’d been handed his ID, Kate had been told that he’d been given the AV-5+ rating not because Dux’Primus was so strong, but because Kate had bonded two dragon spirits, according to Dr. Steel. Dux’Tueor and Dux’Primus. According to Dr. Steel he’d bonded Dux’Primus so completely that they were in effect, one person. This was very, very, rare according to the doctor and would have resulted in an AV-4 rating all by itself. But Kate had also bonded Dux’Tueor. The doctor explained that while Kate was able to draw on the attributes of Dux’Primus he was also able to draw on the wisdom and skill of Dux’Tueor. This complementary, yet different, use of two similar spirits was odd and . . . well they really didn’t know what it meant. It made Kate unique, as far as Dr. Steel knew, even among mutant Avatars and resulted in the AV-5+.

Kate put the card down and shook his head. His spirit guide was Dux’Tueor, and HE was Dux’Primus. He had been Dux’Primus from the moment he woke up, there hadn’t been anything to integrate. Then Kate shrugged, there wasn’t really any point in arguing with the doctor. The power testing and the card were only symbols of how his life had changed. Kate thought back to the night they’d arrived home.

***

The day after the fight, Trish had come over to visit Carl. She’d greeted Kate and Maria warmly and then turned to Carl.

“We need to report what happened to IESC.”

Carl nodded, “Follow me, we can work on it in my study.”

Kate had moved into her bedroom, which happened to be next to Carl’s study, and focused on listening. Just like before it was like her hearing just zoomed in and it was like Kate was standing in the room.

Apparently, after Allura detected her, she’d given Trish a kind of psychic slap. That’s what had knocked Trish out. When she came to she saw that Kate was missing and after checking the SUV and clearing, she went looking for Kate in her astral form. Trish had seen Carl take down Ripple and Flurry and then return to his human form. Kate knew that his dad had killed the mutants, but hearing it described in such cold blooded, professional, terms left Kate wondering if he really knew his dad.

After finishing the report Trish had checked in with IESC and had informed Carl and Maria that she had already been given another assignment. She gave Maria and Carl each a hug before turning to look at Kate.

“I know this is hard for you, but things will get better. If you need someone to talk to give me a call.” Then Trish had given Kate a hug and left her with a business card.

Carl, as the team lead, had turned in the official report to IESC later that afternoon. This had led to the MCO being informed and showing up the next day. The black sedan and equally black suited male and female agents had knocked on their door, instantly making Kate nervous. Before Maria could open the door a second sedan pulled into the drive way. A large guy in a rumpled suit jumped out of this car and rushed up to the house. As it turned out Mr. Burton Kincaid was an attorney for IESC and was there to observe the interview. Both agents seemed to resent Mr. Kincaid’s presence but they had refrained from making any comments and asked a set of standard questions. Then the MCO agents had asked them to sign statements. After the agents left Mr. Kincaid offered Carl his card and told him to call if he had any questions, or if there were any problems.

Kate’s mom had then offered to take Kate shopping. He didn’t have any clothes that fit, and borrowing from his dad, was only a short term solution since Carl was still an inch taller, and much thicker in the chest and shoulders. That was something that took adjusting too. Kate had always looked up to his dad, he’d been daddy’s little girl, but now he could almost look his dad in the eye.

Then there were the odd look he kept getting from his dad. It was a look he hadn’t known existed when he’d been a girl. The look one male gave another, when sizing up a possible rival. Carl had seen Kate transform and had seen what Kate could do. Then there was the image in Kate’s mind of Carl drenched in blood. All of this added up to both Kate and his dad being extra cautious around each other.

That evening they’d visited Devon in the hospital but he was sleeping so they’d left a get-well card. Visiting Devon became a daily ritual until he’d been released, which had taken a week. He was still healing but Kate was amazed that the doctors had been able to reattach his hand.

“They tell me I’ll have 85% normal use.” Devon said brightly and then laughed. “How in the hell do they come up with 85%? Why not 82.5%?” Then he sobered up a little, “I’m heading back east. I’ve got a house in Jersey and a bunch of physical therapy to do.”

Carl had reached out and traded grips with Devon’s good hand, “Thank you, my friend, I owe you.”

Devon shrugged, “I didn’t do anything you wouldn’t have done for me. Remember Columbia?” When Carl nodded Devon said, “Consider us even.”

As much as Kate wanted to ask his dad about what he did for IESC he got the impression that it was still an off limits subject.

Once Devon left they settled into an awkward routine as they tried to adjust and to help Kate with his situation. Maria, like always, was the bedrock of the family. To Kate she seemed unfazed by the fact that her daughter was now her son. She made it clear to Kate, starting the morning after the fight that she loved Kate and it didn’t matter, boy or girl, dragon or human, Kate was her child. This unshakable support made Kate realize how lucky he was.

It was the day after Devon left that Maria brought up the subject of school. Kate cringed. He’d gotten texts and emails from both Reggie and Doug. They’d wanted to get together and wanted to know what had happened. Why Kate had missed Peter’s funeral. Kate didn’t know what to say and had avoided them. Now, however, with school looming, the idea of his junior year made Kate feel trapped.

“What if you didn’t have to go back to your old high school?” Maria asked.

“Mom, the next closest school is too far to drive every day.” Kate replied, feeling depressed.

“Yes, but what if there was another option?”

“Like what, home schooling?”

“No, your dad and I have talked about it, and we think Whateley might be an option.”

“Whateley? What’s that?”

“A boarding school for mutants.” Maria answered handing Kate a set of brochures. “Just take a look and think about it. We’ll discuss it tonight after dinner.”

“But it would mean leaving home, and besides, it looks really expensive!” Kate protested, looking at the brochure.

“Don’t worry about the cost, just read through those and keep an open mind.”

Then later that afternoon the doorbell had rung and Carl called out, “Kate, you’ve got a visitor.”

Kate stepped into the entryway feeling nervous. “Dad, I thought we agreed that I’m not seeing anyone.”

“It’s okay, besides, I don’t think she gets out much.” Carl said stepping to one side so that Kate was able to spot Molly.

“Molly,” Kate rushed forward to give the woman a hug and then caught himself at the last second and awkwardly offered a hand. Molly ignored it and embraced him.

“I told you I’d come by to visit.”

“Come in, would you like a cup of tea?” Maria said, joining them.

“Tea would be lovely.” Molly agreed.

This settled the four headed to the kitchen table where they spent the next several minutes exchanging news. Molly had spent several unsuccessful days, and even more spells trying to track down Allura. She’d also gotten in touch with others in the magic user community and informed them about Allura’s activities. She looked at Kate for a moment before focusing on Carl.

“Two years ago, Aleric, Allura’s master in magic, was found dead. Allura told everyone that it was a magical experiment gone wrong. There was no reason not to believe her, because even though Allura had survived, she had aged. The healer I talked to said it was as though years of her vitality, her life force, had been drained. I think that she must have made a deal with a “Power” and in exchange for her life force she was granted far more power than she ought to have.”

Carl nodded and motioned for Allura to continue. “Do you know what it was Allura was after?” At this Carl looked down thinking. “Carl, she said something about a cave. It would be really helpful if I knew why she was so interested in it.”

“Look, I’d like to tell you everything, but I can’t. There are things that I’m contracted to do that require confidentiality. Breaking that confidentiality would be worse, particularly in this case, than keeping silent.”

“I’m not asking you to tell me where the cave is, I just need to know why Allura wants it so badly.” Molly said.

“I don’t know. I’m not a wizard. I can tell you that the cave is very dangerous and that the wizard we’d been hired to protect died in the cave. I still have nightmares about it.” With that Carl got up and went to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.

After a minute Molly let the subject drop and turned to Kate. “So what’s next for you?”

Kate looked over at his mom and then back at Molly. “Well, high school starts in a couple of weeks. But I can’t go back like this,” Kate gestured down. “Everyone would know I’m a mutant and they all know I used to be a girl. I don’t think I could handle it.”

“We’re looking into Whateley.” Maria said.

“Hmmm, . . . Whateley. That might be just the place.” Molly said.

“But it’s all the way on the other coast!” Kate said. “I . . . I wouldn’t be able to see any of you except during summer and winter breaks.”

“Maybe not.” At Kate’s confused look Molly continued, “As it happens I have a rune in my gate set to Dunwich, New Hampshire.” When Kate didn’t respond Molly laughed, it was a light silvery sound. “The train station in Dunwich has a room set aside for those who don’t travel by conventional methods.” Then seeing that Kate still looked confused she continued, “Dunwich is the closest town to Whateley. I have, on occasion, found it handy to have a place on the east coast I could travel to quickly.”

Kate looked at Molly in surprise, “You’d let me use your gate?”

“Of course, but I have an ulterior motive. I’ve not had an apprentice for a few years and I think I’m losing touch with the outside world. I would like you to consider becoming my apprentice. Besides, you need to start learning how to control your gift, or you might accidently hurt someone. There’s a lot that Whateley can teach you, but you’ve got a lot of ground, academically speaking, to make up.”

For a second Kate thought about refusing, he already had a mentor. Dux’Tueor coached him every night in his dreams and dragon magic appeared to be a little different than other forms. Kate opened his mouth to politely refuse when he felt a stirring in the back of his mind.

*Accept Mistress Lanethial’s offer, young one. There is much she can teach you.*

Kate coughed into his hand to cover his hesitation. “I’d be honored.”

Molly beamed at Kate, her smile made Kate’s heart skip a beat, “Fantastic! I’ll be by next Friday to pick you up. Plan on spending the weekend at my place. After that we’ll work out a schedule.” Kate looked at his parents who nodded in approval. “Now onto this Whateley business. I know Headmistress Carson, I’ll make a call and see if they’re willing to take a transfer student getting ready to start his junior year.”

Both Carl and Maria thanked Molly and the rest of the visit consisted with the three of them asking Molly questions about Whateley. As it turned out Molly had had other apprentices attend Whateley and was able to give them quite a bit of information.

***

The next day found Kate sitting at the kitchen table filling out admission forms. When he got to the name block he turned to Maria.

“Mom, what should I put down for my name?”

Maria looked at Kate in surprise. “I mean, I can’t use Kathrine Henderson. It just doesn’t fit anymore.”

“Oh, well, before you were born your dad and I picked out names for a girl and a boy. Obviously it was Kathrine for a girl.” Maria said pausing to look at her son.

“And if I’d been a boy?”

“Michael . . . Michael Christopher Henderson.” Then Maria rushed over to give Kate a hug, tears running down her cheeks.

After a second Kate pushed Maria back, “Michael Henderson” he said trying out the name. “Mike . . . Michael . . . Mikey.”

Maria laughed, “I like Mike for daily use.”

Mike nodded and wrote the name on the form. As he did Carl came in from the backyard and spotting Maria’s tear streaked faced and looked over at Kate and then back again. “Did I miss something? What’s all the commotion?”

“Dear, I’d like to introduce your son, Michael Henderson.”

“Oh,” Carl said, hesitating, then he walked over to Kate and gave him a hug. “I love you. No matter what! Daughter or son.”

At this Mike felt himself tear up but rather than cry he returned the hug. “Thanks, Dad.”

Mike looked at his mom and dad and knew, whatever this new school was like, at least he could always come home to parents who loved and accepted him.

THE END

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Cheers

Zapper